Anirban Lahiri’s second-place finish in the Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, should give traction to Indian golf, feels his coach Vijay Divecha. On August 7, 2021, Aditi Ashok finished fourth in the Tokyo Olympics and on Monday (early Tuesday here), Lahiri came agonisingly close to winning a tournament which is billed as the ‘fifth major’ in golf.

“I hope it helps to popularise the game in India. Cricket is followed by millions in our country. There is no doubt about that. But now golf should also get its due. What he (Lahiri) has achieved in the last four days is unbelievable and I think it will excite the youngsters to pursue golf,” Divecha told The Telegraph from Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

“For someone, who was in wretched form, making a comeback like this in a tournament where the field is competitive, speaks volumes about his mental make-up. On Monday even when he was lagging behind his rivals, he didn’t give up,” Divecha added.

Jeev Milkha Singh, who along with Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa were singing on the fairways even before India woke up to one Tiger Woods’ exploits in Augusta Masters in 1997, said Lahiri has raised the bar. “Now, the onus is on the others to follow him. Anirban has done us proud. Now is the time for India to have a major winner,” Jeev, who is in Calcutta for the ongoing PGTI Players Championship, said.

“Aditi in Tokyo Olympics and now Anirban... What they have done is a huge thing for the game,” he said. “I am not saying cricket eats all the cake. I have nothing against any sport. Sport brings communities together. Still, this runner-up finish at the Players Championship will ensure golf gets its due,” Jeev said.

SSP Chowrasia, who along with Lahiri represented India at the Rio Olympics, hoped golfers would get sponsors after the 34-year-old’s performance at the TPE Sawgrass. “Golfers in India struggle due to lack of sponsors. I hope Anirban’s performance will change the outlook.”

Divecha said the biggest positive Lahiri would take from Ponte Vedra Beach was not flinching in adversity. “Despite making mistakes here and there, he hung on. That impressed me. My advice was simple... Stay in there and try to keep focus on the basics.

“That’s very important when you are in the hunt in the last round. He was in India in December and we worked on certain things. I am happy that’s paying off,” Divecha, who is looking for the next available window to tee-up with his protege in the US, said.