Anirban Lahiri has won the PGA Championship ‘Longest Drive Contest’ for the second time in three years.

India’s top-ranked player bombed a drive of 327 yards on the 593-yard, par-5 second hole at the Straits.

Lahiri, 28, of Bangalore, India, edged reigning PGA Professional National Champion Matt Dobyns of Glen Head, New York, who was four yards shorter at 323, while J.B. Holmes of Bradenton, Florida, was third at 315 in the competition on a hole dubbed “Big Country.”

The PGA Long Drive Competition was the continuation of an event that originated at the 1952 PGA Championship in Louisville, and was revived last year. The PGA of America offered all players in the field the opportunity to hit one tee shot at the second hole. The ball had to come to rest in the fairway to be eligible to win the Long Drive Competition.

Lahiri, Dobyns and Holmes each will get a money clip inspired by the one that Jack Nicklaus received in 1963, the first of his two consecutive PGA Championship Driving titles. In 1963, Nicklaus used a persimmon driver and wound golf ball, hit a winning drive of 341 yards, 17 inches.

Additionally, through PGA REACH, the foundation of the PGA of America, Lahiri, Dobyns and Holmes are provided charitable donations of $25,000, $15,000, and $10,000, respectively, with the funds split equally between the players’ designated charity and the American Lake Veterans Golf Course. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the American Lake Veterans Golf Course is the nation’s only golf course designed specifically for the rehabilitation of wounded and disabled veterans.

Lahiri won two previous long drive competitions in his homeland, hitting a tee shot 365 yards in the summer of 2009 when he said there was “a very dry area with lots of roll.” His other winning drive in December 2010 travelled 315 yards.

“It is a nice honour and reward to receive at the start of my week,” said Lahiri.

“It’s helps to be able to drive it right to left. I hit a good one and got a good bounce. Now that I have a money clip, it’s going to be on me all week.”

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy’s drive didn’t count as he missed the fairway left.

Louis Oosthuizen won last year’s Long Drive Competition at Valhalla with a 340-yard drive.