In-form Kiradech ready to spring surprise
AUGUSTA: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat is hoping to emerge as a surprise contender at this week’s Masters following a string of consistent performances over the last two months.
The 28-year-old has been in blistering form since winning the World Super 6 Perth title in February and Brunei Championships last month.
With momentum on his side, Kiradech recorded a tied-fifth finish in the WGCMexico Championships before being beaten in the WGC-Match Play in Texas in the quarter-finals by eventual winner Bubba Watson last month.
His performances in the last four months of the season saw him jump from 160th in the world into the top 50 and the result at Texas moved him up to a career-high 29th. He is currently ranked 30th.
“The way I fought to qualify for the Masters is amazing. Now I want to show the world an Asian can surprise and contend in a major,” said Kiradech who earned a ticket to Augusta after finishing in the top 50 in the world rankings.
“I’ve been comfortable with the way I’ve been playing. I’m feeling very confident and I’ve putted very well lately. I look forward to playing in Augusta. I will try to go earlier and try and feel comfortable on the greens.”
It will be Kiradech’s second appearance at Augusta after securing a credible tied15th on his Masters debut in 2016, his best result at a major so far.
“The goal now is to try and stay inside the top 30 and hopefully earn a PGA Tour card,” he said.
“I will give it my best at the Masters because I have such good memories there. Augusta is a golf course which suits my game and I’ve been playing very well so hopefully it will be another week which I will remember.”
In the first two rounds, Kiradech will play alongside American Pat Perez and Italy’s Francesco Molinari.
Kiradech, who has won four European Tour titles, will have fellow Asian Tour members such as Indian star Shubhankar Sharma and Japan’s Yuta Ikeda for company at Augusta.
Sharma hopes to continue his remarkable run in the world of golf in his first major this week.
Having upstaged some of the world’s biggest stars with his wins at the 2017 Joburg Open and the 2018 Maybank Championship in Malaysia and being in contention at the WGC-Mexico Championship, the 21-year-old is ready to prove he is worthy of his invitation to the year’s first major.
“I was very surprised when I got the invitation. It is a dream come true playing here. It means a great deal to me as I’m representing the future of Indian golf,” said Sharma, who also leads the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Rankings and the Race to Dubai.
“We [India] have a lot of great players and we have a strong presence on the Asian Tour. A win at the Masters will do wonders back home.
“Every sport needs a hero and we have a few heroes but a major winner has a different sound to it,” said Sharma.
Sharma will be the fourth Indian to play at the Masters after Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal and Anirban Lahiri.
Sharma is grouped with 1987 Masters champion Larry Mize and Russell Henley.