Mar 07, 2018: Shubhankar Sharma of India received an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament, boosting his confidence even further as he contends at the US$1.75 million Hero Indian Open that tees off on Thursday.
The 21-year-old came off a top-10 finish at the WGC-Mexico Championship and flew halfway across the world to compete in his National Open, which will be contested at the Gary Player layout of the DLF Golf and Country Club from March 8 to 11.
Sharma was slightly disappointed with himself after his finish in Mexico, having led the tournament after 54 holes. However, the setback was all forgotten upon the call from Buzzy Johnson, Senior Director of the Masters Tournament. He is now focused on doing well at the Hero Indian Open, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.
Defending champion S.S.P. Chawrasia will be adopting the same strategy that led to him winning last year’s tournament by seven shots. The affable 39-year-old did not give anything away, and simply credited his win in 2017 to playing good golf.
Chawrasia has a brilliant record at his National Open, having won in 2015 and 2016 and finishing in second place in 2013 and 2014.
Compatriot Anirban Lahiri looks forward to competing in Asia and playing in front of his home fans. The 2015 Hero Indian Open champion and Asian Tour Order of Merit winner will be adopting a calm and patient approach to the tournament, given the challenging conditions and set up of the golf course.
The Hero Indian Open 2018 will have an elite field that comprises of five Asian Tour Order of Merit winners and more than 40 Asian Tour champions.
Did you know:
- Shubhankar Sharma turned professional at a tender age of 16.
- He made the mark in his second attempt at the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2016. He went on to cap two top-10s in Bangladesh and Manila to finish inside top-60 on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and retain his Tour card for 2017.
- In 2017, he enjoyed four top-10s in Singapore, Myanmar, Malaysia and Hong Kong prior to his breakthrough win at the Joburg Open in December. With the Joburg Open being part of The Open Qualifying Series, Sharma also secured a spot at The Open in 2018 thanks to his victory.
- Sharma claimed his second victory in two months at the Maybank Championship in Malaysia last month after carding a final round 10-under-par 62.
- He enjoyed a tied-ninth place finish at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship last week. It was his WGC debut and the result propelled him to a career-high 66th place on the Official World Golf Ranking, making him the highest-ranked Indian player in the world.
- Sharma will be making his Major debut at The Masters next month, after accepting an invitation from Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, on Tuesday.
- Sharma is eligible to play in the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship in Florida this week but he opted to play in his National Open at the Hero Indian Open this week.
- S.S.P. Chawrasia will attempt to be the only golfer in Indian Open history to win the tournament three consecutive times.
- Out of his six Asian Tour titles, five were won in India.
- Chawrasia finished top-10 on the Asian Tour Order of Merit for three consecutive years, from 2015 to 2017.
- His father was the greenskeeper at Royal Calcutta Golf Club, where he picked up the game at the age of 10 years old.
- Anirban Lahiri won the Hero Indian Open in 2015, the same year he won the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
- He is a seven-time Asian Tour winner. His maiden title was won in 2011, at the Panasonic Open India.
- At last year’s Hero Indian Open, he finished in tied-fifth.
- The DLF Golf and Country Club has hosted the Indian Open three times, in 2009, 2017 and 2018.
Asian Tour Release
