Ians

New Delhi: India's Anirban Lahiri retained his PGA Tour card for the 2019-20 season after posting a tied fifth finish at 16-under-268 at the Korn Ferry Tour's Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft Nabisco in Boise, Idaho, USA, on Sunday.

Former Asia No. 1 Lahiri, who had secured tied seventh place at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship in Columbus, Ohio, the previous week, thus made it back-to-back top-10s in the first two events of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

Anirban's solid performances over the last two weeks ensured that he claimed one of the 50 PGA Tour cards on offer in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals with one event still left to play.

The 32-year-old Lahiri (68-65-69-66), who has won seven international titles including two on the European Tour, returned a flawless card of five-under-66 in the final round which was highlighted by birdies on the last three holes.

Anirban's first two birdies on the second and third holes came as a result of two brilliant up and downs from the bunker. The man with 16 Major appearances, the most among Indians, then made 12 pars in a row before signing off in style with birdies on the 16th, 17th and 18th.

Lahiri made outstanding recoveries from the rough on two of his last three holes thanks to a couple of extremely accurate approach shots.

Anirban's valiant fourth round effort helped him climb seven positions from his overnight tied 12th to finish three shots back of winner Matthew NeSmith of the United States at the Hillcrest Country Club.

Lahiri has amassed a tally of 358 points from his first two events on the Korn Ferry Tour to be placed eighth in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals Points List. He is therefore well above the qualification mark for the PGA Tour and has sealed his spot inside The Finals 25 (the top-25 in the Finals Points List).

Soon after retaining his card, Anirban tweeted, "Loved my beautiful week here @Boise_Open @KornFerryTour. Glad to get it done and head back to @PGATOUR #currypower is coming back slowly but surely!! (sic)."

Lahiri has been plying his trade on the PGA Tour since 2015 but he lost his card earlier this year with a 178th place finish in the FedEx Cup Rankings. He is now set to resume his campaign on the PGA Tour with renewed vigour.

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