Sharma aims to keep feet on the ground
mumbai — Two European Tour titles in two months is a dreamcome-true for Shubhankar Sharma but the Indian youngster is trying to stay grounded as he chases a spot at this year’s US Masters.
The 21-year-old overcame a four-stroke deficit to claim a twoshot win at the Maybank Championship in Malaysia this month for his second European Tour title.
He sunk 10 birdies in a remarkable closing round in his triumph at the Saujana Golf and Country Club, a little over a month after his maiden threeshot win in the Joburg Open.
Sharma is now the highestranked Indian in the world at 71st and if he can get into the top 50 it will bring him an invitation to the Masters in April and The Players Championship. To do that he needs to perform well in the Oman Open and the Qatar Masters before the WGC-Mexico Championship in Mexico City next month.
“My immediate goal is to just play well in the next two events,” Sharma told Reuters in an interview from his home in Chandigarh, where he was fine-tuning his game with long-time swing coach Jesse Grewal.
“Because if I do well enough at the next two, I might have an outside chance of qualifying for the Masters. I just want to keep my feet grounded and my eyes on the ball.”
The Joburg win earned Sharma a ticket to this year’s British Open at Carnoustie and the opportunity to rub shoulders with the top players.
“I played with reigning British Open champion Stenson in Malaysia, I was very, very happy playing with him on the third day,” said Sharma who turned professional at the age of 16. I can’t really pick one player but I am very excited that I will be playing the British Open and Tiger (Woods) most probably will be playing, so to be in the same field with him will be fantastic.”—