Another European Tour triumph for Shubhankar
India’s rising golfing star Shubhankar Sharma fired a stunning 10-under-par 62 to clinch the $3 million Maybank Championship here on Sunday.
The 21-year-old Indian, who won the Joburg Open in December, has now won twice in a span of seven weeks and both times on the European Tour. Shubhankar turned in a winning total of 21-under-par 267 and his sensational last round included five birdies in each half which included clutch birdie putts on 17 and 18.
His winning total of 21-under is the lowest winning score at the Maybank Championship. This is Shubhankar’s second Maybank Championship appearance. He finished tied ninth last year to seal his Asian Tour card.
The victory earned Shubhankar $500,000 and moved him to the top of the Asian Tour’s standings and on the Race to Dubai on the European Tour.
The triumph is likely to push Shubhankar, currently ranked 193rd, to as high as the 70th place on the World Golf Ranking and he will potentially be the highest ranked Indian. Lahiri is currently ranked 71st and missed the cut at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in US.
“The last two months have changed my life. I’ve been a member on the Asian Tour for a while and I will continue to be a member on the Asian Tour. I’ve always dreamt of winning and now I’m a two-time winner on the Asian Tour and European Tour,” an elated Shubhankar said.
“I’m over the moon. The last two months have been fantastic for me. I’m playing in The Open championship this year so I can’t ask for anything more. Whatever happened today was fantastic,” he added.
Shubhankar was in excellent form, dropping just three shots the entire week and he was flawless on Sunday. His final round 62
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is his joint lowest score on the Asian Tour in relation to par. He shot a 61 (par 71) in the second round of the Joburg Open and a 62 on the last day of the 2016 Resorts World Manila Masters.
Shubhankar, who shot 70-69 in the first two rounds and made the cut at tied 48th, producing 66-62 on the weekend for a sensational 16-under in 36 holes. His 66 in the third put him within four shots of the lead and he charged into contention on the final round when he got off to a hot front nine with five birdies in a span of six holes from fourth to ninth. He added five more on the back nine on 11th, 13th and 14th and again holed touch clutch putts on last At 21, has two European Tour wins. In December he had won the Jo’burg Open to become the youngest Indian to win on the European Tour.
His winning total of 21-under is the lowest winning score at the Maybank Championship.
two holes.
Adding to Indian contingent’s joy was Khalin, Shubhankar’s roommate this week. Joshi finished with a share of fifth place alongside Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa, Hideto Tanihara, Nino Bertasio and world number 47 Dylan Frittelli of South Africa.
Joshi’s earnings of $92,880 for the tied fifth has virtually secured him Asian Tour card for next season. As for the other Indians, Shiv Kapur (72) slipped from T-11 to T-23, while Gaganjeet Bhullar (72) came down from T-19 to T-27th. Arjun Atwal (72) also slipped from T-26th to T-34. Jyoti Randhawa (71) was T-50th and SSP Chawrasia (70) was T- 55th.