With his country celebrating Diwali on Thursday, Anirban Lahiri had his own fireworks going during the opening round of the Venetian Macau Open with a sparkling career-best 10-under-par 61.
The round gave the 27-year-old four-times Asian Tour winner a one-shot lead over defending champion Scott Hend of Australia, who won the Hong Kong Open last week.
"It's a great Diwali and happy Diwali to everyone back home. It's nice to have some fireworks on the course," said Lahiri.
"It's fantastic. I really played solid all day and it was nice to get such fantastic weather and putt well.
"I think I did really well inside of 15 feet... this is the best I've putted for a while. My good friend S. Chikka who is playing this week pointed something out and he knows my game really well.
"Sometimes my putting stroke doesn't flow as well as it needs to and he spotted a little thing that really helped me. I felt really comfortable on the greens. I'm really happy."
Lahiri, who needed only 22 putts for his round, holed eight birdies and then capped it off by rolling in a 15-foot eagle putt on the last hole in benign conditions at the Macau course.
Australian Hend continued his red-hot form by sinking five birdies and one eagle on the back nine in his round of 62.
Multiple major winner Ernie Els of South Africa and Asian Tour veteran Thongchai Jaidee both scored 70s while Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez struggled on the greens for a one-over round of 72.
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