MELBOURNE: Anirban Lahiri and Gaganjeet Bhullar have just moved into their 30s, but have known each other since they were 11 years of age.
This week, the duo, who are widely seen as two of India’s best golfers, are looking to turn their friendly rivalry into a formidable partnership as play for the tricolour at the ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf from Thursday.
Lahiri and Bhullar are one of six two-man Asian teams in the 56-man field hoping to hoist the famous trophy at the US$7 million event, won previously by many legends of the games.
Bhullar and Lahiri, contemporaries, who have known and played with and against each other since their junior and amateur days, also played for India at the Asian Games in 2006 and were part of the team that won a silver medal. They turned professional in 2006 and 2007 respectively, and since then have won a combined total of 16 titles on Asian Tour, three of which have also been co-sanctioned with the European Tour.
They have known each other since they were 11 years old and will be looking to turn that chemistry into a winning combine at The Metropolitan Golf Club.
Japan (1957 and 2002) and Chinese Taipei (1972) remain the only two Asian nations to have won the prestigious event since its inception in 1953.
In the 59th staging of the World Cup of Golf this week, the first and third days of competition will be four-ball (best ball) format while the second and final days are foursomes (alternate shot) play.
Lahiri and Bhullar are making their second appearances in the World Cup of Golf this week. Lahiri first partnered Bhullar in the team event which was held at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 2013.
“Gaganjeet’s a really positive guy on and off the course. It’s great to be part of this team environment. It’s much easier to pick yourself up if you’re down because both of us are going to be egging each other on to play our best. I think the only kind of rivalry you have at 11 years old is who gets to eat the yummier food and, you know, simple things like that,” said Lahiri.
Bhullar said, “This is the first time we’re playing in this kind of format. We played yesterday and the day before. The golf course is in a great shape. We’re still working on our strategy but we are really excited and looking forward to play this format.
Lahiri, now a regular player on the PGA Tour, is a two-time International team member of the Presidents Cup and winner of the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2015.
Lahiri, 31, and Bhullar, 30, represented India in the Eisenhower Cup, Nomura Cup and Asian Games as amateur. They then Team Asia in the inaugural EurAsia Cup in 2013 and later that year also played the World Cup.
India’s best finish of ninth place in the event was achieved by Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa in Portugal in 2005.
