As they say, home is where the heart is and for newly-crowned Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Shubhankar Sharma, home, and a loving family inspired him to a wildly successful 2018.
The 22-year-old Indian secured his top spot on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings following the proceedings at the South African Open to cap off a brilliant year.
He said: “2018 is the year that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. I’ve played all the Majors, all the WGCs and won the Arjuna Award as well as the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
“I’ve always dreamt of winning the Order of Merit since turning professional in 2013. I used to watch the Asian Tour on TV, seeing the likes of Jyoti Randhawa, Arjun Atwal, Jeev Milkha Singh and Anirban Lahiri, who have all won the merit title. I am honoured to be part of that illustrious list.”
His victory at the Maybank Championship in February was undoubtedly pivotal to him winning the merit title and unsurprisingly, that particular tournament stood out for him the most.
“The most memorable moment for me this year was winning the Maybank Championship. That started things off for me,” explained Sharma, with a smile.
Sharma credits his success to his family, who have given him unconditional support on and off the golf course. They accompanied him on his Major debut at the Masters. Their presence kept him grounded and lifted him spiritually.
“I’m really happy that the whole family enjoyed themselves at Augusta National. My sister, whom I share a very close bond with, wrote a piece to Associated Press documenting my journey. I’m very glad she’s recognised for her talent.”
He added: “My family has always supported me. You always need a team; you can’t do it alone.
“They’ve been there ever since I started golf. It has been a great deal for them; it was good news after good news. Everyone was glued onto the TV if they are not on the course. I owe a lot of my success to my family.”
With the coming to an end, Sharma has already set his sights on accomplishing even greater goals in 2019.
“Playing in all four Majors again will be my number one goal. I am also aiming to play well in Europe and finishing in the Race to Dubai in a strong position.”
He may be competing all over the world, but he will always keep the Asian Tour in mind.
“I’ll definitely support the Asian Tour as much as I can. This is my home, and this is where I started playing.”
