Shubhankar eyes WGC-HSBC title in his debut show
Shubhankar Sharma is determined to become only the second Asian player ever to claim the World Golf ChampionshipsHSBC Champions in just his debut appearance as he feels he has got the game to be counted among the best. The $10 million event starts at the Sheshan International Golf Club on Thursday.
“I’m playing this event for the first time...It’s obviously going to be a very exciting week as only the best players in the world will be here and I’m part of them,” Sharma said in a release issued by the Asian Tour.
“I’ve been lucky to be able to play in all the big tournaments this year so I would say I’m more comfortable playing against these guys than I was at the start of the year. I know I have the game to be among the best in the world,” he added. The Indian believes he is close to rediscovering the form that led him to two wins on the Asian Tour and is capable of following the footsteps of Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who lifted the coveted Old Tom Morris Cup in 2016.
Sharma won his first Asian Tour title at the Joburg Open in South Africa last December and went on to claim his second victory two months later in Malaysia. “I had a few chances this year and I would like to draw on those experiences and play well. I had problems both in Mexico and Malaysia and they all came on the last day.”
SHANGHAI:
MAYWEATHER REMATCH
A potential blockbuster rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather moved a step closer as the Filipino icon confirmed he has signed with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).
Eight-weight world champion Pacquiao said he would close out his storied career by facing “top PBC fighters” in announcing late Monday the tie-up with influential Mayweather adviser Haymon’s organisation.
“My team will work closely with Al Haymon for the remainder of my career to deliver the most anticipated fights with the top PBC fighters,” Pacquiao said in a statement. “Those are the fights the fans want to see and the ones I want to have to close out my career,” he added.
INDIA VS PAKISTAN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
: The Indian under-19 women’s football team will be up against Pakistan in its opening match of the AFC Championship Qualifier here on Wednesday. India coach Alex Ambrose said his team would look to keep emotions at bay in the clash against the arch-rivals.
“It may only make us lose focus on what our real objective is. All we want from our first game is three points. There is no special treatment as such for Pakistan. I want the girls to play to our plan and execute the ideas properly on the pitch, regardless of who we are playing,” he said ahead of the match. Although both the teams played in the SAFF U-18 championships, they did not face each other in Bhutan earlier this month.
While India topped their group and went on to clinch the bronze medal, Pakistan finished bottom of their pool, losing all their matches. On the eve of the fixture between the two rivals, Pakistan head coach Mohammed Siddique Sheikh said the qualifiers will give his players good exposure.
“These qualifiers are going to give our girls good exposure. I’ve seen the Indian team, and they play really good football.”
MANILA: CHONBURI (THAILAND)