Golf star tipped by Ernie at age 10

SHUBHANKAR Sharma’s stunning rise up the golf rankings has taken many by surprise but former world No 1 Ernie Els predicted the Indian’s ascent a decade ago.

The 21-year-old Sharma rocketed from 462nd to 66th place in three months following two European Tour wins and a strong showing at the WGC-Mexico Championships last weekend.

He ended tied ninth at the PGA Tour event in Mexico after leading going into the final round, when he was overtaken by American great Phil Mickelson.

Speaking ahead of the Indian Open in Gurgaon, Sharma revealed that it was Els who spotted his talent at a coaching clinic in 2008.

“He put the ball on the tee for me at Delhi Golf Course range and I hit two great shots right near the 100-yard board and he was really happy,” Sharma said.

“He said, ‘you are going to be a great player one day and just keep practising’. And for a kid like me who was only 10 at that time it just made my day.”

“I met Ernie after that in Abu Dhabi recently and I told him about the story and he was really happy that I have progressed so well,” Sharma said.

Sharma has been invited to the Masters next month, where he will become only the fourth Indian to play after Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal and Anirban Lahiri. And he is setting his sights high.

“There still is a lot to be done if you see golf at an international level. Obviously, if you see from Indian standards some people feel I have done well and have to keep playing the way I have and get to the PGA Tour,” Sharma said.

He highlighted Jordan Spieth’s feat of winning the Masters at 21.

“You just have to look at the greats of the game and then you know how much work you have to put in to get there.

“Just the kind of game golf is, anything is possible at any time if you play well. Just like what happened to me after November, I was 571 in the world and now I am 66. I knew I had the game in me.”

Sharma, after trying soccer, basketball and cricket, stuck to golf following encouragement from his father, who served as an officer in the Indian army.

He turned pro at 16 and now hopes his success will inspire India’s cricket-crazy youth to take up golf.