Indian star Shubhankar Sharma will continue his remarkable run in the world of golf when contends in his first Major at the Masters Tournament.
Having upstaged some of the world’s biggest stars with his wins at the 2017 Joburg Open and the Maybank Championship in Malaysia this year and being in contention at the World Golf Championships- Mexico, the 21-year-old is ready to prove he is worthy of his invitation to the year’s first Major.
“I was very surprised when I got the invitation. It is a dream come true playing here. It means a great deal to me as I’m representing the future of Indian golf,” said Sharma, who also leads the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Rankings and the Race to Dubai.
Sharma will have fellow Asian Tour members such as Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Japan’s Yuta Ikeda for company at Augusta National and like them, he is determined to play his part in putting Asian golf on the world map this week.
“We (India) have a lot of great players and we have a strong presence on the Asian Tour. A win at The Masters will do wonders back home.
“Every sport needs a hero and we have a few heroes but a Major winner has a different sound to it,” said Sharma.
Sharma will be the fourth Indian to play at the Masters Tournament after Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal and Anirban Lahiri.
While he is optimistic of creating another impact on the world stage with his game in top form, Sharma knows it is also crucial to stay focused before he can lay claim to the prized green jacket.
“If my game is good enough to win which I feel it is if I play my best, I will surely be in contention. The pressure here is a lot more but personally I don’t feel any burden. If I can get a win this week, it will be very good for the game in India.
He credited his amazing rise over the last few months to meditation and breathing exercise which was taught by his mother.
“You have to be like in a monk like state for five hours and keep on playing. My mum has been very instrumental in putting me on the path of meditation. Even though I haven’t done it as much as mum would like me to do it, I still try to concentrate on my breathing and try and stay in the moment,” said Sharma.
Sharma will tee off alongside 1987 Masters Tournament champion Larry Mize of the United States and Russell Henley, also of the United States in group 21 for the first round.
