Carnoustie, 20 July 2018: Shubhankar Sharma produced one of the most memorable rounds of golf in Indian golfing history, to force his way into the weekend at the 147th Open Championship. The 21 year old Indian was up against the wall soon as he took a pair of bogeys before the turn. But he responded in style to battle back and make four birdies on the return stretch to secure a spot for the weekend. This is the first major weekend for Shubhankar, who made his debut on the big stages of golf on a special invitation from the Masters.
The 84th ranked Indian met with the media at Carnoustie Here are the excerpts from that conversation with the Indian and International media.
How are you feeling right now?
I am so excited right now. After that tee shot on the 18, I thought I just need to make par because a lot of players have yet to play. My first aim was to hit the fairway on the 18th and then hit the green and give myself birdie opportunity. I made a brilliant second shot to about five to six feet and made the birdie putt. I am really proud of myself, making three birdies on the last six holes.
What were your thoughts before you made the putt at 18?
I wasn’t thinking much when I stood on the last putt. It’s a straight putt. We were on the clock as well. The greens became very bumpy because so many players played on it. You will just hope that the ball stays on the line. It was a nervous moment for me at the end but very happy to birdie the last and give myself a chance to make the weekend rounds.
The bogey at the first hole must have been a dampener, what happened there?
The ball was plugged in the bunker. I hit a very brilliant shot to actually carry out and I hit a good shot which almost went out but it went back in. I could’ve done better from there but I think it’s still a good bogey. Even though my bunker shot wasn’t too good, I made that putt. I was unlucky on the fourth. My ball landed on a divot again. I hit a good putt on the sixth which should have gone in as well. I thought I played well, just two silly bogeys on the eighth and ninth. I shouldn’t have made that two putts.
How did you approach the second nine today?
I just kept grinding out there and made a birdie on the 10th hole. It was great. After that, it was just to stay in there and I tell myself I still have birdie holes coming up, I just have to keep going. I am really happy with how I played today. I was five-over after nine holes and I didn’t know what the cut is going to be like. It was raining and windy and something which I wasn’t used to that much. Front nine was definitely tough but when I started the back, I told myself I need to make a charge now.
Where did the round come together for you?
I found something on the ninth hole when I made the putt. I felt really comfortable with that putt. After the 10th, I just putted very good. I was just rolling in everything I saw. That doesn’t happen very often but it happened to me today. These greens being so bumpy, you have to putt very well and I did just that.
I was trying to be as comfortable as possible out there and try to be as free as I can. But deep inside, I was very nervous. I struggled with every shot. At the end of the day, you got to tell yourself that you’re playing your own game and not think about playing in a Major championship. If you think about that, you will mess it up.
That was a spectacular second nine. Talk us through it again?
I was just trying to be calm out there. I am really happy with the way I finished. My first birdie on the 10th hole, I hit a good drive off the tee and hit my second shot with a seven-iron to about 30-feet and made the left to right putt there. Like I said, I found something in my putting on the ninth hole. I birdied 13th again, hit a good shot to about 20 feet left of the pin and read the line perfectly to make the putt there. The next birdie on the par-five 14, it’s all about hitting the fairway there. It’s a pretty short par-five. I had good joy and good faith there. I have 180 yards to the front, hit it just short and two-putted for birdie.
It was also a great birdie on the 18, the tee shot took a bad bounce to the left and ended up on an up slope but it was a great shot, just the way I wanted it to be. I had 150 yards to the front. There was some grass behind the ball. I wanted to hit the ball first and not the ground and it just came out perfectly.
What does this mean to you?
This is my favourite Major championship. I am happy to have made the cut now. This is also the first time I made the cut in a Major. This is definitely a big moment for me and it’s also my 22nd birthday tomorrow. It will be a great birthday present for me for sure. It has been great this week. I also imagined myself playing in The Open since I was a kid. This was one thing that I really want to do, to tee up and play in front of these crowds. I am really happy.
Which was the first Open that you watched, can you remember?
The first time I saw The Open was in the early 2000s, maybe 2003 or 2004. Before that, even though I started playing, no one knew anything about golf. We didn’t really knew about The Open back then. The most memorable one was when Tiger Woods won in 2006. I remember watching that tournament all four days and I still remember that.
The PGTI Tour has earned ranking status on the OWGR. What are your reflections?
It’s fabulous to know that the PGTI tour has been afforded with Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. It’s truly one of the better Tours in Asia. Everyone came through the local Tour, even Anirban Lahiri who is playing on the PGA Tour now. It’s a great news. That will definitely drive more sponsors and especially with the Olympics coming up.
Is this one of your best rounds of golf?
It’s probably one of the best finishes I had, given how I was five-over at one point and made three birdies coming in. The last few holes aren’t easy as well. Definitely one of my best finishes so far. I had a bad finish at the US Open. I was well inside the cut-off mark but I finished with a bogey and a double-bogey. I am really happy to get back with the way I got back today.
Transcript provided by the Asian Tour
- In this article
- Carnoustie
- Open Championship
- owgr
- pgti tour
- shubhankar sharma
