CHENNAI: Twenty seventeen was an annus mirabilis for the lesser-known members of India’s golfing community. Aditi Ashok and Anirban Lahiri had already served notice of their talents in some of the sport’s most prestigious courses but the victories of these athletes kept the sport on the back pages.
One of those victories — Shubhankar Sharma at the Joburg Open in December — sent the hype factory into overdrive. The 21-year-old had become the youngest man from India to win a European Tour event. The dessert to that particular entree was clinched at the Maybank Championships in Malaysia last weekend. Sharma, who started playing the sport when he was seven, had a roaring weekend to become the first man to win two European titles in the current season. In an interview with Express, he speaks about the win in Malaysia, his new ranking (highest-ranked Indian) and his hopes for 2018 and beyond. Excerpts...
On when he started believing. Not until halfway through the last round. Coming into the event, I knew I was playing well. Last year I finished ninth. I had good memories playing on that course. I just had a great weekend (he shot a six-under on Saturday before a 10-under on Sunday).
On what was going on his mind when he almost missed the cut (made it by one stroke).
I didn’t know that the cut was going to be that low. Even when I made bogey on the last hole (on the second day), the cut was never in my mind. I was playing well enough. We weren’t expecting it to go that low. Those birdies on the third and fourth days helped me to turn it around.
On the four wins since October.
Nothing has happened overnight. I have been putting in lots of work. It’s normally a process you go through and it just clicks one day. It just clicked one day, last year in the second half especially. I found something in the swing. I kept practicing and kept trying to perfect it. All fell into place and that one victory (Take Open in October at Chandigarh) gave me confidence and then I won again and then I won again.
On being the highest-ranked Indian.
Fantastic, I actually didn’t know my ranking was going to go so high. I didn’t know if I was going to break into the top-100. But then I saw the world rankings (No 72, four ahead of Lahiri).
Looking ahead.
I don’t know, yet. I would obviously want to play on the PGA Tour. That has been my goal all my life. If I get my ranking higher, I will get to play in all the Majors. But for now, I want to play on the European Tour. Hopefully get a few top 10s or maybe even another win and that might open more doors for me.
swaroop@newindianexpress.com