Shubhankar Sharma rallies to win Maybank Championship

Shubhankar Sharma rallies to win Maybank Championship with a blinding 62 in the final round at the Saujana Golf & Country Club in Kuala Lumpur

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Shubhankar Sharma rallies to win Maybank Championship

04 February, 2018: It was a surreal Sunday for Indian golf. Trailing by four at the start of the day, Shubhankar Sharma rallies to win Maybank Championship with an incomparable Sunday effort at the Saujana Golf & Country Club. The 21 year old produced five birdies on either side in a meticulous 62 for a sweet come from behind victory. Khalin Joshi also played some brilliant golf this week, finishing in T5. Spaniard Jorge Campillo came in second with Pablo Larrazabal and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox in T3.
Shubhankar had erased the deficit by the time he made the turn. He took sole possession of the lead with a birdie at the par-5 13th hole. At 21-under 267, Shubhankar ended the week two strokes ahead of Campillo and three in front of Larrazabal and Fox.
His eighth birdie of the round came at the 14th, helping Shubhankar build a nice cushion on the finishing stretch.
Shubhankar settled for par scores on the next two holes before adding a couple of red cherries on the cake with birdies at the 17th and 18th to all but guarantee victory.
Having started the day in T19, Shubhankar had to retire to the clubhouse and wait patiently for the groups behind him to come home.
And by the time overnight leaders Campillo and Dylan Frittelli reached the 18th green it was amply clear that champagne was ready to pop for Shubhankar.
It is Shubhankar’s second European Tour victory in thirteen starts. This is proving to be a definitive passage of time for the young Indian with a monk like ability to stay calm and composed.
Shubhankar made 16 of 18 greens in regulation, just as he did in the first two rounds. He took a mere 25 putts on Sunday, in a nerveless display. He made scores of 70-69-66-62 as he marched steadily to the top of the order, only taking the lead on the back nine of the final round.
Khalin made a 70 in the final round for an overall score of 16-under 272

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