Sharma holds on to lead in Mexico

MEXICO CITY — Shubhankar Sharma held his nerve to the end and held a two-shot lead going into the final round of the Mexico Championship.

Now the 21-year-old from India has one last round to hold off a few of golf’s biggest names.

Sharma stretched his lead to as many as four shots Saturday at Chapultepec Golf Club until he started dropping a few shots late on the back nine. After clipping a tree and going into the bunker on the 18th, he holed a 15-foot par putt for a 2-under 69.

That left him 18 holes away from capping off his amazing rise. Just three months ago, Sharma had yet to win a tournament outside India’s developmental circuit, didn’t have a European Tour card and was No. 462 in the world. A victory in this World Golf Championship would be his third in his last eight starts and likely put him in the top 25. Eduardo Verdugo /

Shubhankar Sharma lines up a putt on the third green during the third round of the Mexico Championship. AP

His biggest test might come from the names on the leaderboard.

Phil Mickelson played bogeyfree for a 65 that will put him in the last group with Sharma and Tyrrell Hatton of England, who had a 64. Also two shots behind were Masters champion Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello, who each had a 69.

Another shot back was Dustin Johnson, the No. 1 player in the world and defending champion, who managed a 68 despite playing the par 5s on the back nine in 1 over.

Sharma, the only two-time winner on the European Tour this year who leads the Race to Dubai, didn’t blink.

Even so, there was some emotion packed into those two short fist-pumps when his par putt dropped on the final hole. He was at 13-under 200. Mickelson, coming off three straight top 10s for the first time since 2009, is in his best position yet. His drivers aren’t as wild, he is making more key putts to keep the round going and his iron game is solid as ever.