Shubhankar goes 4-over, misses cut
ST LOUIS (US): India’s Shubhankar Sharma missed the cut at the PGA Championships after a poor second round at the Bellerive Country Club. After an impressive one-under in the first round, he carded 4-over in the second round to end with 3-over 143.
Earlier, Shubhankar was oneunder through seven holes in the second round before play was stopped because of inclement weather. Playing his fourth successive Major this year, he had looked good before the break, being two-under for the tournament at that stage and looked set to make his second straight cut in a Major. But he had a poor card on return.
Meanwhile, Gary Woodland enjoyed a lazy start to the day as nearly half the field went to work early Saturday to complete their rain-interrupted second rounds but could not nudge the American off the top of the leaderboard.
HITAASHEE WINS
HONG KONG : India’s Hitaashee Bakshi won the Hong Kong junior golf championship in the girls’ under 13-14 years age category. Kartik Sharma and Sunhit Bishnoi finished second and third, respectively, in the boys’ 15-17 years age category. The tournament was held at Discovery Bay Golf Club in Hong Kong where approximately 60 juniors from eight countries had participated. Hitaashee, Kartik and Sunhit were among six golfers from the DLF Golf Academy Nurturing Excellence Programme. In March this year, Kartik had attained the No. 1 amateur ranking in the country. Sunhit is currently the no.1 junior golfer in India.
CONTINGENT CLEARED
NEW DELHI: The Sports Ministry has cleared a 804-member Indian contingent, including 572 athletes, for the Asian Games but said it will bear the expense of 755 members with 49 out of 232 officials allowed at no cost to government. The ministry cleared all the athletes and officials recommended by the Indian Olympic Association with the only rider being that only 49 officials can be part of the contingent at the cost of their respective federations.
The government will bear the cost of 572 athletes, 183 officials, 119 coaches and 21 doctors and physiotherapists.
ATACAMA RALLY
MUMBAI: Oriol Mena, who finished in the top-10 of the 2018 Dakar Rally, and Joaquim Rodrigues, will lead Hero Motosports team’s charge in the Atacama Rally to be held in Chile from August 12 to 18.
The rally is part of Hero Motosports build-up for the 2019 Dakar Rally after an impressive display in this year’s event.
The team’s Indian rider CS Santosh won’t be part of the rally as he will be participating in the India Baja which will be held from August 17 to 19 at Thar desert, Jaisalmer.
Hero Motosports had fielded three riders in the 2018 Dakar with Mena finishing seventh and Santosh 34th, while Rodrigues was injured during the first stage.
Rodrigues will make a muchanticipated comeback in Chile while Mena will aim to build on his impressive streak.
He had also finished in the top-15 at the Afriquia Merzouga Rally.