Shubhankar Sharma qualifies for US Open Golf Championships
Shubhankar Sharma, who already played the Masters this year on a special invite, has qualified for the next week’s US Open Golf Championships with a solid 69-68 win in the qualifiers. Two other Indians Shiv Kapur and Arjun Atwal, who were also a part of the qualifiers, failed to grab a spot.
Shubhankar Sharma’s magnificent spell doesn’t seem to stop as he grabs a spot in the next week’s US Open Golf Championships. Sharma had already played the Masters this year on a special invite and had earned a spot in the Open Championships at Carnoustie after winning the Jo' burg Open.
In the qualifiers held at Brookside GCC and Lakes Golf and Country Club, the 21-year-old was tied fifth and qualified with an impressive margin of 69-68. Two other Indians, Shiv Kapur, who played the qualifier at Walton Heath, and Arjun Atwal, who played in Tennessee, failed to earn a spot, though.
"It was a great day for me. It was a long one with 36 holes but I am glad I played the Brookside in the morning as it is tougher with smaller greens. I
"But it was nervy ending on the 18th (in the second round). I hit to the left off the tee and it took a bad bounce and it went into the rough. I had a terrible lie and I had to hit with one foot in the bunker with 150 yards to the front of the green,” he added. "I hit a 9-Iron, which stayed short and again in the rough, thick lie. But I made a great up and down. I hit a good chip to 10 feet and holed it for par. At that stage, I did not know the scores and felt that I needed to make par to have any chance."
Putting aside the disappointment of missing the cut at the Memorial, Sharma shot 3-under 69 with six birdies and three bogeys in the first round.
In the second round, he was all aggression as he eagled the Par-5 third and added birdies on fifth and seventh and turned in 4-under for the round and 7-under for the qualifiers. A double bogey on Par-3 11th threatened his campaign before he showed great determination to hole back-to-back birdies on 15th and 16th and hold on to pars on last two holes.
Arjun Atwal, who missed the qualifying from Tennessee, had a score of 72-71. Of the 12 Sectional qualifiers, 11 were held on Monday. The qualifier in Japan was held last month with three players going through while 14 went in from Walton Heath. The 11 qualifiers in the US had about 50 spots available.
Sharma needs to stay in Top-100 of the world to play the last Major, the PGA Championships. The prestigious US Open would be held at the Shinnecock Hills.
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