New Delhi, March 29, 2012 (AFP) - Indian star Anirban Lahiri overcame swirling winds for an opening-round three-under-par 69 to launch his title defence in style at the Panasonic Open India on Thursday.
Lahiri fired five birdies against two bogeys in a round which he described as possibly the toughest conditions he has ever played at Delhi Golf Club.
Prom Meesawat of Thailand was among eight players tied in second on 70 with Asian Tour rookie James Byrne of Scotland, Australians Adam Groom and Scott Barr and Indians Shankar Das, Ashok Kumar, Sanjay Kumar and Digvijay Singh at the $300,000 event.
Lahiri was delighted to overcome the tricky conditions that made it a tough scoring day. Only 15 players broke par in the 156-man field.
"Yes, this is my first time playing in these swirling winds at the Delhi Golf Club," he was quoted as saying by the Asian Tour.
"I was talking to Shiv's (Kapur) long-time caddy, who was on the bag for Peter (Karmis), and he said he hasn't experienced this condition in 34 years!" said Lahiri, a two-time Asian Tour winner.
"Today was a brand-new experience for me and I'm happy with the way I played, especially with the wind blowing at 30 or 40 kilometres per hour."
"It was all about execution and not much about strategy," added the 24-year-old, who will make his British Open debut in July.
Prom, third on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, was disappointed to miss his two-foot par putt on the last hole, which would have given him the share of the lead.
"The wind made it very tricky," he said.
"You need to try and keep the ball in play. The conditions of the course are very good. I know the course very well but I'm not going to take that for granted."
"Anyone can shoot a low score here. You need to stay patient out here," said Prom, who lost in a play-off to Lahiri at the SAIL-SBI Open at the same venue last month.
Leading scores after round 1 of the Panasonic Open India 2012 being played at the par-72 Delhi GC course
69 - Anirban Lahiri (IND)
70 - James Byrne (SCO), Adam Groom (AUS), Scott Barr (AUS), Prom Meesawat (THA), Shankar Das (IND), Ashok Kumar (IND), Digvijay Singh (IND), Sanjay Kumar (IND)
71 - S.S.P. Chowrasia (IND), Siddikur (BAN), Boonchu Ruangkit (THA), Jyoti Randhawa (IND), Kunal Bhasin (AUS), Om Prakash Chouhan (IND)