Young Sharma basking on ‘high stage’
Fast-rising player shoots 66, leads in WGC Mexico by 2
Success has come quickly for Shubhankar Sharma, and the Mexico Championship is no exception.
Sharma hit a 3-wood that landed on the green and settled 2 feet away for an eagle on the opening hole at Chapultepec Golf Club. He finished with three straight birdies for a 5-under 66. And in his first World Golf Championship, he takes a two-shot lead into the weekend.
“I worked all my life to come and play at a high stage like this,” said Sharma, 21, who turned pro when he was 16. “You have to expect great things from yourself if you want to play at a high stage. I just try and not think of anything before I start. I just try and concentrate on the success, and just let things go.”
Sharma overcame a pair of three-putt bogeys early in his round and was at 11-under 131.
Masters champion Sergio Garcia had a 65 and was two shots behind, along with Xander Schauffele (66) and Rafa Cabrera Bello (67).
Sharma’s greatest asset is stable mind, and he has not shown any moments of being overwhelmed.
Even so, there has been a few surreal moments, such as warming up on the range before the second round.
Jordan Spieth, the British Open champion and former No. 1 in the world, was hitting balls behind him. And then when Spieth left, world No. 1 Dustin Johnson took his place. It was hard for Sharma not to glance over his shoulder.
“I couldn’t ask for anything better,” he said. And then it got better. Sharma had such control over his game that he putted for birdie on every hole except the par-4 eighth, where he escaped from the trees into a bunker, blasted out to 12 feet and saved par. He shot 31 on the back, finishing with a gap wedge he hammered to 10 feet for a final birdie, and he walked off the green to a big ovation.
Russell Knox is the only other player to win a World Golf Championship in his debut, at the 2015 HSBC Champions in Shanghai. So much more is at stake. Sharma, the only twotime winner on the European Tour this season who leads the Race to Dubai, is No. 75 in the world. Still in his sights is a chance to move into the top 64 after next week to get into the Dell Match Play in Texas, and he has an outside chance of getting into the Masters.
And to think that just three months ago, he had yet to win anywhere in the world. Then, he shot 61 in the second round on his way to winning the Joburg Open. Last month, he closed with a 62 to win the Malaysian Open.
“Everything has happened so fast for me,” Sharma said. “In the past four months, my life has totally change. Obviously, the final destination for me is the PGA Tour. That’s always been my dream. Just playing well here this week will get my closer to my dream.” WOODS ADDS TOURNEY >> Tiger Woods is adding another tournament as he tries to prepare for the Masters. The PGA Tour says he committed to play next week in the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook. Woods has never played the tournament near Tampa, Florida, though he played Innisbrook when it hosted the old JC Penney Mixed Team Classic. This will be his third tour event in four weeks since returning from a fourth back operation.
LPGA
KANG EQUALS COURSE MARK >> The distraction of a chipped tooth proved to be no problem for Danielle Kang as she shot an 8-under 64 to take a four-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the Women’s World Championship.
Kang, who won last year’s Women’s PGA Championship for her first major title, equaled the course record at the Sentosa Golf Club to lead the LPGA tournament at 12-under 132.
Champions Tour
DUO SHARES LEAD >> Scott Dunlap and Tommy Tolles topped the Cologuard Classic leaderboard at 8-under 65, with Steve Stricker a stroke back in a bid for his first PGA Tour Champions title.