Lahiri closes in on PGA card, finishes 16th in N. Carolina

Lahiri, who played only 12 events on PGA Tour this year, will be able to play more events in the coming season. He will become the second Indian after Arjun Atwal to hold a PGA Tour card, though Atwal remains the only Indian to win a title on PGA Tour. Lahiri's goal is also to stay in Top-50 of World Rankings to ensure a start at all the Majors and WGC's in the coming season.

Anirban Lahiri's tied fifth place finish at PGA Championships in August was the best ever finish by an Indian at a Major.

Anirban Lahiri assured himself of a PGA Tour card for the coming season after signing off a creditable tied 16th at the Small Business Connection Championships at North Carolina.

The 28-year-old Lahiri, who finished tied sixth in the first event last week, feels that he has got the 'job done' at River Run, the second of the four-event Web.com Finals series.

Officially he will get his card after the final event of the series in two weeks time. Lahiri, who played only 12 events on PGA Tour this year, will be able to play more events in the coming season. He will become the second Indian after Arjun Atwal to hold a PGA Tour card, though Atwal remains the only Indian to win a title on PGA Tour.

Lahiri's goal is also to stay in Top-50 of World Rankings to ensure a start at all the Majors and WGC's in the coming season. His tied fifth place finish at PGA Championships in August was the best ever finish by an Indian at a Major.

After picking up USD 34,750 in the first event from his sixth place finish last week, he added another USD 15,000 from his 16th place finish this week.

The total of USD 49,750 places Lahiri seventh on the Web.com Finals Money List, which offers the Top-25 a card. Lahiri, who started the final day at seven-under and in tied 20th place, began with birdies on first and third. Steady pars over the next seven holes meant he was closely approaching his goal.

A bogey on 11th was followed by birdies on 14th and 16th, before a bogey on 17th pushed him back slightly. On the final hole, which he bogeyed a day earlier, he was once again in some trouble after missing the fairway and going into a greenside bunker. But he scrambled well for a par and closed at one-under 71.

Once again Lahiri's grit was on display as he still managed only 50 per cent fairways and needed more than 30 putts. But he scrambled very well.