Shubhankar Sharma gets Augusta Masters golf invitation

Shubhankar Sharma has been on a roll in the recent past and has impressed the world with his golfing skill. Another feather has been added to his cap as he has been invited to this week’s Augusta Masters which is happening for the first time since 2013. The Masters’ chairman Fred Ridley termed the 21-year-old Indian as a ‘remarkable young player’.

“Mentally, he is very strong. He doesn’t get flustered even when the fairways are full of big boys,” coach Jessie Grewal said. 

“He will be world No 1 one day. He’s being noticed by everyone. Generally, the commentators are ruthless while dissecting a player’s game. At Joburg, iconic commentator Peter Alliss went on record to say that he couldn’t see a blemish in Shubhankar’s game,” Jessie Grewal added. 

“His father left a promising career in the army and relocated the family to Panchkula for the sake of Shubhankar’s golf. He manages everything, right from his travel and hotel bookings to his diet,” the coach added. 

“When I was in hospital for 23 days during the birth of my daughter Vandini, Shubhankar was six. On the day I was being discharged, Dr Tushar Lahiri, my gynecologist, showed me the photo of his son Anirban, then a top junior golfer, and said we should also teach Shubhankar to play golf,” Neena, Shubhankar’s mother said. 

Neena also remembers that how she used to drag her three-year-old daughter to the golf course with her to see his son do his practice. But his sister Vandini who is six years younger to him remains his biggest fan according to his mother.

Only recently it was that Anirban Lahiri was the highest-ranked Indian golfer. However, the 21-year-old youngster went past Lahiri to become the highest-ranked player from India. Anirban was also all praise for Shubhankar.

“I like his grit. He’s got a stable head on his shoulders,” he said.