Singapore, March 20: The emergence of Shubhankar Sharma has been truly spectacular. After winning two tournaments, getting an invitation to the Masters Tournament and breaking the course record at his National Open, the Indian superstar will take his relentless momentum into the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play event that tees off this week.

Sharma qualified for the event as one of the top 64 golfers on the Official World Golf Ranking list on the week ending March 11. In round one, the current Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings leader will go head-to-head against SMBC Singapore Open champion Sergio Garcia at the Austin Country Club in Texas, United States.

“I’m really happy to be able to play in this tournament. My last match play event was at the All India Amateur Championship in 2013, which I won. That was the last event I played before I turned professional. I have great memories of playing this format, so I’m really looking forward to teeing off this Wednesday,” said Sharma, a two-time Asian Tour winner.

He added: “I will be adopting a more aggressive mindset during the event and aim for the flag so that I can get as many opportunities for birdies and eagles. You have to be up for the match as soon as you start and hopefully, get the chance to build upon your lead.”

Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat will also be contending at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. The 28-year-old would have sharpened his match play chops, having won his third Asian Tour title at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth which featured a six-hole match play elimination format. He also won the Paul Lawrie Matchplay in 2015. Kiradech is drawn into Group 3, which features world number three Jon Rahm of Spain as well as Americans Chez Reavie and Keegan Bradley. 

"My last two wins were match play events, so I’m not worried. Match play is fun and it’s all about making birdies. It fits my aggressive style of play and I’m always willing to go for my drives or to shoot for the flags, even in stroke play events,” said Kiradech, the 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion 

Along with Garcia, Sharma is drawn into Group 7 with American Xander Schauffele, who finished tied-fifth at the 2015 U.S. Open and South African Dylan Frittelli, the 2017 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open champion. The competition is intense, but Sharma is confident of performing above expectations at the event.

“It’s all about making as many birdies as possible. I’ve made many this season so I’m confident of my chances in Austin. I know that if I play my best golf, I’ll be able to beat a lot of players. It’ll be my first tournament in the United States and I’m sure it’ll be a great event.”

Photo credit: Richard Castka 

Zhangzhou, March 17: China’s Ouyang Zheng held on to his overnight lead to win the 36-hole Volvo China Open Ocean West Qualifying by a massive six shots on Saturday.

The 24-year-old, who hails from Shanghai, never looked like losing his momentum, despite stumbling with bogeys on the par-three third and par-five ninth at the Ocean West International Golf Club. A back nine of 33 saw him close with a one-under-par 71 and a winning total of five-under-par 139. He had fired a course record 68 in the opening round.

Also qualifying for the 24th Volvo China Open are junior Chen Pei-cheng and veteran Liu Chun, who found themselves in a play-off for the two remaining places with compatriot Tong Zhang-wen after the three players finished on one-over-par 145 in regulation play.

Tong shanked his approach shot at the first extra hole to make bogey while Cheng and Liu both made safe pars to advance to the National Open.

“Today’s result today has greatly improved my self confidence, as this is actually my first tournament win as a professional,” said Ouyang. “It’s given me very high expectations for the rest of the year.

“I plan to play in some more events before the Volvo China Open so that my game continues to improve. I’m really looking forward to the Volvo China Open as I am very familiar with the Topwin course, which actually has similar greens to these at Ocean West.

“I knew I had the skill to win an event like this and knew it was only a matter of time before it happened. I should have made more birdies yesterday but they just didn’t drop. Today it was as though I couldn’t miss – I made four single putts in a row from the 14th.”

Liu Chun seemed to have played himself out of the event after giving away four shots on the opening nine, however eagles on both the 14th and 18th saw him home in 34 strokes for a two over-par 74.

Liu revealed that he worked as a policeman for five years before becoming a golf pro and attributes some of his success in the sport to the discipline he required to be a police officer.

“I concentrate very well and keep calm what ever is happening on the golf course so I am able to handle difficult situations quite well during a tournament round,” said Liu who also qualified in second place in the Shanghai Tianma Qualifier last year.

Hebei-born Liu said that he planned to do much better than last year at Topwin where he had to retired after 11 holes of the opening round due to a severe cold.

“The Volvo China Open Qualifiers are always great fun and very well organized so I look forward to them each year, so today is a great start to my competition year and hopefully it will bring me good luck,” added the 34-year-old, who is now based in Shenzhen.

Chen Pei-cheng’s front nine was somewhat the same as Liu’s, and then a double bogey on the difficult par-three 12th saw his name taken off the leaderboard. However a birdie two on the 15th followed by three closing pars brought him home in 37 to make the play off, as his nearest challengers dropped shots coming in.

“I didn’t think I would achieve my goal so quickly. I thought I would be in high school before something big like this happened,” said 15-year-old Chen, who lives in Beijing.

“I don’t think I would have matured as much as I have without the support of Volvo,” added Chen, who has also played in several Volvo China Junior Match Play events and lost in the final last year in Hainan.

“I don’t plan to play in any other events before the Volvo China Open. I will practice and also concentrate on my school work.

“I plan to go to Topwin a week before the Volvo China Open to familiarize myself with the golf course. My only experience of the layout so far was when I volunteered to be a walking scorer in the past two years!

“My wish is to play with Li Haotong. It would be great to play alongside the best mainland Chinese player!”

For more information please visit www.volvochinaopen.com

March 16: India’s newest golf star Shubhankar Sharma plans to fight his way into the 2019 Presidents Cup, on a week when one of his early inspirations, Ernie Els was named captain of the International team.

Sharma, 21, has taken the golfing world by storm following two recent victories in South Africa and Malaysia which he followed up with an eye-catching tied ninth performance at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship. He led a star-laden field in Mexico City after the second and third rounds.

With his world ranking rocketing from a lowly 521st in November to its current 64th position, the talented Sharma has firmly set his eyes on making the International team which will face a Tiger Woods-led United States team at The Royal Melbourne Golf Course in Melbourne, Victoria in December, 2019.

“It would be fantastic if I can make it to the Presidents Cup. It’ll be a dream come true,” said Sharma.

“But in saying that, it’s in 2019, we still have a year and a half to go. I don’t want to get ahead of myself just yet. Anything is possible if I continue to play really well and break into the top-50 in the world.”

After Els and Woods were unveiled as captains of both teams for what promises to be a fantastic showdown in Royal Melbourne next year, Sharma tweeted: “Two of the biggest icons of my golfing life @TigerWoods and @TheBig_Easy will be the central figures of @PresidentsCup 2019. Getting there cannot be more rewarding. I am super excited and will do my best to be on the team, rest assured.”

Ten years ago, Sharma enjoyed his first encounter with Els, a four-time Major champion and 19-time PGA TOUR winner, when the South African legend headlined the Indian Masters.

“I was a kid and went for a golf clinic after one of his rounds. Ernie called out a few kids to hit a few shots and I was one of them. We were using his nine iron and as kids, it was really heavy for us and nobody could really hit it good. I was the last kid and he came over and told me I’ve got to hit the ball in the centre of the clubface and showed me how to hold the club,” recounted Sharma.

“I went on to hit two great shots, which went towards the 100-yard marker. That was one of the best memories I have of Ernie and he was kind enough to give me his card and after signing it, he said I’ll be a great player one day if I kept practicing. And for a kid like me who was only 10 at that time, it just made my day.”

Sharma’s stunning rise in recent months has also caught the attention of PGA TOUR Commissioner, Jay Monahan. During the unveiling of team captains on Tuesday, Monahan remarked: “If you look at what’s happening in the game right now internationally, you got Haotong Li inside the top-40 in the world from China, Shubhankar Sharma from India who has played exceedingly well. We don’t know who is going to come forward between now and then, but it’s likely that stars from new countries are going to come forward with Ernie Els and Tiger Woods leading their respective teams.”

One of the reasons why Sharma has followed the Presidents Cup closely over the past two editions was because his close friend and countryman, Anirban Lahiri featured in the International team.

“Even though we were playing on the Asian Tour during the week of the Presidents Cup, we managed to watch it on TV. It was exciting to see the International team coming close,” said Sharma, who finished tied seventh at the Hero Indian Open last week.

“I think it’ll be a lot of fun, being in that team atmosphere. You normally play for yourself and you try to do your best but it’s a different feeling when you play for a team, just like how it was during our amateur careers when we played for India. I think it will be a lot of fun. The intensity and the passion that the players have, I’m sure it’s a great event. If I can get into the Presidents Cup in 2019, it’ll be really fantastic.”

Sharma will have his first chance at showing off his match play credentials when he makes his debut at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin next week. As the 64th ranked player in the world, he earned the last qualifying place and will be eager to replicate his memorable showing in Mexico City.

The young Indian will also play in the Masters Tournament, the year’s first major, in April after receiving a special exemption from Augusta National and will also feature in several other PGA TOUR tournaments.

For more information, or to learn more about the Presidents Cup, information on travel packages, or get their names added to find out about ticket sales visit www.presidentscup.com, Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thepresidentscup, Twitter and Instagram at @presidentscup and sign up for the Presidents Cup e-newsletter.

About the Presidents Cup

The Presidents Cup, a team match play competition featuring 24 of the world’s top golfers – 12 from the United States and 12 from around the world, excluding Europe – is held every two years, and since 1996 has alternated between United States and international venues. The Presidents Cup was developed to give the world’s best non-European players an opportunity to compete in international team match-play competition. The U.S. Team has won nine of the 11 previous Presidents Cups, and the only outright win by the International Team came at the 1998 event in Melbourne. A historic 17-17 tie came in 2003 when the event was held in South Africa.

Citi, Alfa Romeo and Rolex are the exclusive Global Partners of the Presidents Cup.

Delhi, March 15: Asian Tour champions Shiv Kapur, Chiragh Kumar along with their wives partnered with Habitat for Humanity India to assist Munna Devi build a home for her family in Begumpur, New Delhi. They were joined by 2015 Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit winner and Habitat for Humanity advocate Casey O’Toole of the United States. 

Habitat for Humanity – a global organization committed to provide affordable housing to the underprivileged families – is the ‘Sustainable Development Partner’ of the Asian Tour.  In line with the new partnership, the Asian Tour’s season-long ranking has been renamed as “Habitat for Humanity Standings.”

After enjoying a wonderful 2017 season where he won three times and welcomed his first child, Kapur and his wife Maya were delighted to give back to the community in New Delhi by lending their support to Habitat for Humanity.

“We are very honoured to be able to support Habitat for Humanity India. Maya and I have always admired the great work they do around the world and we wanted to contribute by helping build homes in a place that is very close to our hearts and make a difference in our own little way”, said Kapur.

The 34-year-old Kumar lauded the initiative by Habitat of Humanity India and hopes the Asian Tour stars will continue to support and promote their mission to provide decent housing to those in need.

Kumar said, “I strongly believe, as a citizen of the country, it is our responsibility to work together for the betterment of our society. I am happy to be part of this association with Habitat for Humanity India. I hope that one day all Indians will have a decent place to live.”

O’Toole shared his thoughts on being an avid supporter of Habitat for Humanity. “I am excited about being an advocate for Habitat for Humanity. I have been able to see first-hand the impact it is making on people’s lives, and it is something I am very humbled to represent and be a part of,” he said.

“We were touched by the support of our New Delhi and international visitors who helped build our home. We are eager to complete our new home and cannot wait to move in,” said Munna Devi with a smile on her face. Munna Devi is a mother of two daughters and one son. Widowed six years ago, Munna Devi is determined to give her children a better future.

Speaking about the partnership Rajan Samuel, Managing Director, Habitat for Humanity India said, “We are proud to be the Sustainable Development Partner of the prestigious Asian Tour. Globally, Habitat for Humanity’s work aligns with the United Nations Sustainable

Development Goals, including SGD Goal 11 – ‘Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’. We thank Shiv Kapur, Chiragh Kumar, Casey O’Toole and the Asian Tour team for advocating the cause of affordable housing. This partnership will help more families in need of decent shelter to build the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to improve their lives.”

Rajeev Menon, Member – Board of Directors, Habitat for Humanity India said “At Habitat, we believe that having a decent home is foundational for improving a family’s opportunity for health, education and economic wellbeing. Our work is aligned with the Government of India’s flagship programme of Housing for All and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Driven by the vision to build a world where everyone has a decent place to live, Habitat has served more than 15,00,000 individuals across India to build a better future for themselves. We are hopeful that the partnership with Asian Tour and the enhanced visibility will enable us to scale our efforts to serve 60 million individuals in need of decent shelter and sanitation.”

By aligning with the Asian Tour, Habitat for Humanity will leverage the Asian Tour’s global presence to promote its vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. The partnership serves to highlight the work of Habitat for Humanity and in turn, create awareness among a key demographic group to raise funds, attract volunteers and highlight the plight of those in need of decent shelter in India and around the world.

About Habitat for Humanity India

Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort. The housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 70 countries. In India since 1983, Habitat for Humanity has supported more than 1.5 million people to build or improve a place they can call home. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit www.habitatindia.in

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Sentosa, Singapore, March 14:  Here’s what the 2018 Hero Indian Open champion, Matt Wallace, had in his bag.

Driver: PING G400 LST 8.5*                     Shaft: Aldila Rogue 125 MSI 70 TX

Fairway1: PING G400 14.5*                    Shaft: Project X Graphite HZRDUS Yellow 76 6.5

Irons: PING I Blade (6-9) PING I 200 (2-5) Shaft: FST KBS Tour C-Taper 130 X

Wedge1: PING Glide 2.0 Stealth 46*         Shaft: FST KBS Tour C-Taper

Wedge2: PING Glide 2.0 Stealth 52*         Shaft: FST KBS Tour C-Taper

Wedge3: PING Glide 2.0 Stealth 58*         Shaft: FST KBS Tour C-Taper

Putter: PING Sigma G Darby

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 (2017)

Shoe: FootJoy

Cap: PING

Bag: PING

Glove: FootJoy

Melbourne, March 14: Asian Tour Honorary Member and International Ambassador Ernie Els and Tiger Woods have been named captains of the International and U.S. Teams respectively for the 2019 Presidents Cup held at The Royal Melbourne Golf Course in Melbourne, Australia, officials announced today.

While both will be first-time captains at the event, the two are the most experienced captains in terms of Presidents Cup competition and were the primary figures in the 2003 event held in South Africa, where Woods and Els competed in a dramatic sudden-death playoff that ultimately ended in a tie and the two teams sharing the Cup.

Els has competed in the Presidents Cup eight times, tied for most by an International Team member. Woods, also an eight-time U.S. Presidents Cup Team member, holed the winning putt for the United States in 2009, 2011 and 2013 – the only player to clinch the Cup three times. Both Woods and Els served as captain’s assistants for their respective teams in 2017.

In addition to the announcement of the two captains, officials also unveiled minor changes to format requirements and eligibility for the 2019 Presidents Cup. Each player shall play a minimum of one match prior to the final-round singles matches. This is a change from past years where players were required to play twice during the same timeframe. Additionally, the top eight players for the International and U.S. Team standings will officially qualify following the completion of the 2019 TOUR Championship. Captains will later select four captains’ picks (at date to be determined) closer to the December 2019 event.

Els and Woods have combined for 97 PGA TOUR victories, including 20 World Golf Championships events and 18 major championship titles, with 59 additional wins internationally. 

Els is tied with Vijay Singh and Adam Scott with eight appearances in the event with an overall record of 20-18-2. He is tied for most all-time match appearances on the International Team in Presidents Cup history (40, Vijay Singh) and has won more matches than any other International Team member (20). The World Golf Hall of Fame member has 19 career PGA TOUR victories to his credit, including four major championships between the U.S. Open (1994, 1997) and The Open Championship (2002, 2012).

The former world No. 1 and native South African has also made his mark internationally with 47 total victories spread across the European Tour and South African Tour, representing South Africa five times in the World Cup (1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2001) as well as nine times in the Alfred Dunhill Cup (1992-2000). 

Els will be the sixth person to serve as a captain for the International Team (Nick Price – 2017, 2015, 2013; Greg Norman – 2011, 2009; Gary Player – 2007, 2005, 2003; Peter Thomson– 2000, 1998, 1996; David Graham – 1994).

“The Presidents Cup has provided me with many of the best memories of my career,” said Els.  “To be named captain of the team is an incredible honor. There is a fun and talented group of young players emerging from all across the globe for the International Team, and I am eager to accept the responsibility of building a winner when we face the United States at one of my favorite courses and cities in the world at Royal Melbourne. Tiger and I have had some great duels in the past, and I look forward to the challenge of going against my longtime friend yet again in 2019.”

Woods has a Presidents Cup record of 24-15-1 since his first appearance on the 1998 U.S. Team, and he is one of five players to go 5-0-0 during a single event (2009). His 24 matches won ranks second all-time to Phil Mickelson’s 26, and his six victories in singles matches is the most in the event’s history.

Woods will be the eighth player to captain the U.S. Team (Steve Stricker – 2017; Jay Haas – 2015; Fred Couples – 2013, 2011, 2009; Jack Nicklaus – 2007, 2005, 2003, 1998; Ken Venturi – 2000; Arnold Palmer – 1996; Hale Irwin – 1994).

“After working as a captain’s assistant for Steve in 2017, I realized that I wanted to captain the 2019 event at Royal Melbourne,” said Woods. “I’m proud to follow in the footsteps of past captains like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin, Ken Venturi, Fred Couples, Jay Haas and Steve Stricker. The core group of players on the U.S. Team have a lot of talent, enthusiasm and great team camaraderie. They are easy-going and fun to be around off the course, but extremely competitive inside the ropes. I have no doubt that Ernie will have the International Team ready to go in Melbourne, and I cannot think of a more fitting captain to carry the tradition of goodwill through competition than Ernie Els. The Sandbelt courses of Australia are some of my favorite in the world, and I’m looking forward to seeing Royal Melbourne again.”

The 2019 Presidents Cup will be held from December 9 to 15 when it returns to the prestigious Royal Melbourne Golf Club. The return to Melbourne, Australia, will mark the third time in the biennial event’s 25-year history it has been held at the renowned Sandbelt course, as the event was previously held in Melbourne in 1998 and 2011, also at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

Melbourne also holds the distinction as the site of the lone International Team’s victory in 1998, which saw Peter Thomson’s International Team defeat Jack Nicklaus’ U.S. Team, 20.5 to 11.5.  In 2011, Fred Couples led the U.S. Team to a 19-15 win over Greg Norman and the Internationals. The 1998 event was also held in December, a date that traditionally works well with other golf tournaments held in Australia.

The oldest golf club in Australia, The Royal Melbourne Golf Club was founded in 1891 and moved to its current location in 1926, becoming the anchor of what is now known as the Sandbelt. The gem of Australian golf, The Royal Melbourne Golf Club has two courses, both ranked in the World’s Top 100, which were designed by the legendary Alister MacKenzie. In 1959, in order to host the first of many international tournaments, 12 holes of the West Course and six from the East Course were combined to create what is known as the Composite Course, which also hosted the 2013 World Cup of Golf, won by Jason Day and Adam Scott.

The Presidents Cup is unique in that there is no purse or prize money.  Players are not paid for their participation, but each competitor allocates an equal portion of the funds generated to charities of his choice.  Since the event’s inception, more than $49.1 million has been raised for charity from event proceeds, as well as contributions made on behalf of the Presidents Cup, including a record charitable donation of $10.7 million from the 2017 event alone.

The Presidents Cup competition consists of 30 matches – 9 Foursomes (alternate shot) and 9 Four-ball (better ball) matches. There are 12 Singles matches involving all players on the final Sunday. All matches are worth one point each, for a total of 30 points. There are no playoffs for Foursomes or Four-ball, with each side receiving ½ point if the match finishes all-square after 18 holes. Singles matches all square after 18 holes will go to extra holes until a team winner is determined. In a change inspired by the events of the 2003 Presidents Cup, if the match is deadlocked at the end of Singles play, the competition will be deemed a tie and the teams will share The Presidents Cup.

For more information, or to learn more about the Presidents Cup, information on travel packages, or get their names added to find out about ticket sales visit www.presidentscup.com, Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thepresidentscup, Twitter and Instagram at @presidentscup and sign up for the Presidents Cup e-newsletter.

About the Presidents Cup

The Presidents Cup, a team match play competition featuring 24 of the world’s top golfers – 12 from the United States and 12 from around the world, excluding Europe – is held every two years, and since 1996 has alternated between United States and international venues. The Presidents Cup was developed to give the world’s best non-European players an opportunity to compete in international team match-play competition. The U.S. Team has won nine of the 11 previous Presidents Cups, and the only outright win by the International Team came at the 1998 event in Melbourne. A historic 17-17 tie came in 2003 when the event was held in South Africa.

Citi, Alfa Romeo and Rolex are the exclusive Global Partners of the Presidents Cup.

March 12: Thaworn Wiratchant defeated Clark Dennis and Peter Fowler in a four-hole play-off at the Sharjah Senior Golf Masters presented by Shurooq to win back-to-back Staysure Tour titles at the first event of the 2018 season. 

The two-time Asian Tour number one made par on the 18th hole at the fourth attempt, beating Dennis who kept pace with him for three extra holes at Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club.

Fowler was knocked out of the play-off after a bogey on the first extra hole, leaving Dennis and Thaworn to do battle under floodlights as darkness fell on the Emirate of Sharjah.

“It was really difficult out there today,” said Thaworn, the only player to win 18 Asian Tour titles. “The first day was easier because I played in the morning and the greens weren’t as hard. The pin positions were tough today.”

“I had to be so patient during the play-off, it was tough playing the 18th four times. I have never played in the dark before, it was tough to adjust and not lose concentration.

“I am so happy to win my second Staysure Tour title. I want to be consistent and have a really good year.”

Ends.

Sentosa, Singapore, March 12: Indian hotshot Shubhankar Sharma extended his advantage at the top of the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings after capping a commendable tied-seventh place finish at the US$1.75 million Hero Indian Open on Sunday.

The 21-year-old Sharma, who propelled into stardom with two victories over the last three months, had set a new course record at the DLF Golf and Country Club with a second round eight-under-par 64 before going on to cap his best result ever in his National Open.

He closed with a three-over-par 75 and a four-under-par 284 total to finish seven shots shy of making the play-off which saw Matt Wallace of England defeating countryman Andrew Johnston on the first extra hole to emerge victorious.

The young Indian talent had returned home in glory at the start of the week, having notched a tied-ninth place finish in his World Golf Championships debut at the WGC-Mexico Championship the week before, where he led by two shots in the second and third round.

Sharma continued to hog the headlines when he received a coveted invite to The 2018 Masters Tournament on Tuesday, thanks to his recent exploits. He had earlier earned a berth at The Open in July following his breakthrough win at the 2017 Joburg Open, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series.

“I am disappointed but these things happen and it is not an easy course. Even though I started well, I made a few bad swings but, in the end, it was alright. I really enjoyed the tournament and I loved the support. I would like to thank everyone for coming out to support me.

“I am happy about the way I have been playing and that I am able to get myself into contention every week. I put in a lot of hard work, and I am happy with the way things have been. Disappointments are part of the game. It will just make me stronger. The next time I’m in this situation, I’ll do better,” said Sharma, who had held a share of the overnight one-shot lead heading into the final round.

Sharma moved up two rungs to a career-high 64th place on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) following his solid result at the Hero Indian Open, maintaining his status as the leading Indian player in the world.

By breaking into top-64 on the OWGR as of the cut-off date on March 12, Sharma earned his second WGC appearance at the 2018 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play tournament, which will get underway at the Austin Country Club in Texas from March 21 to 25.

“I’m looking forward to playing the 2018 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play tournament. It’ll be a good break from stroke play. The last time I won a match play event was six years ago at the All-Indian Amateur,” added Sharma.

Sihwan Kim of the United States made a huge leap from 50th to sixth position on the Habitat for Humanity Standings after recording his career-best result on the Asian Tour with a third-place finish in India.

“It was a difficult course and I didn’t expect the leaders to shoot so low. I had a number in mind this morning, and I achieved what I thought. I thought I had a pretty good chance to win, but with scores that low, that wasn’t the case.

“This result will get my confidence up, especially when playing on difficult golf courses. If I continue to play like this, then I’ll be fine. The conditions have been great and the people have been nice,” said the 29-year-old Kim, who came through the Qualifying School in 2017.

Reigning Asian Tour’s number one Gavin Green of Malaysia hopes to take the positives from his India outing where he finished tied-16th after closing with a 71. He moved to 16th place on the latest Merit rankings.

“It was an average week and I wished I had played better. I love India and I will want to come back next year. I’ve made changes to my game and it’s working out so far. I struck the ball a lot better last week and my short game got a little stronger. I just have to work on my drives, hopefully before my next event.

“I’ll be taking a nice break, then probably head over to Morocco and Spain. But for now, I’m going to chill out, have fun and enjoy my break,” said the 24-year-old Green, who became the first Malaysian to lift the Asian Tour Merit crown in 2017.

Sharma sits atop the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings with a current haul of US$548,125 while Thai star Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who claimed his third Asian Development Tour title in Brunei last week, occupies second place with US$251,173.

Paul Peterson, Daniel Nisbet and Berry Henson remained in third, fourth and fifth positions respectively on the Merit rankings following the conclusion of the Hero Indian Open, which is co-sanctioned by both the Asian Tour and the European Tour.

Ends.

Habitat for Humanity Standings – Top-20

Pos Player Order of Merit (US$)

1. Shubhankar SHARMA (IND) $548,125

2. Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) $251,173

3. Paul PETERSON (USA) $215,758

4. Daniel NISBET (AUS) $150,863

5. Berry HENSON (USA) $131,983

6. Sihwan KIM (USA) $124,137

7. Hideto TANIHARA (JPN) $123,306

8. Shaun NORRIS (RSA) $112,200

9. Khalin JOSHI (IND) $103,730

10. Terry PILKADARIS (AUS) $93,435

11. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $85,999

12. Jarin TODD (USA) $83,945

13. Danthai BOONMA (THA) $82,712

14. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $75,359

15. Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) $67,131

16. Gavin GREEN (MAS) $60,025

17. Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) $48,391

18. Kurt KITAYAMA (USA) $47,842

19. Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) $46,161

20. Shiv KAPUR (IND) $44,650

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

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Sentosa, Singapore, March 12: Here are the five takeaways from the 2018 Hero Indian Open, which concluded on Sunday. 

1. The Gary Player-designed course at the DLF Golf and Country Club is one of the most challenging courses on the Asian Tour. The toughest hole recorded for the week was the 461-yard par-four 14th hole, with an average score of 4.453. The easiest hole was the 570-yard par-five fourth with an average score of 4.843 all week.
2. India’s rising star Shubhankar Sharma was the best putter last week. He averaged 1.51 putts per greens in regulation. Newly-crowned Hero Indian Open winner Matt Wallace of England was ranked second with an average of 1.54.
3. Wallace recorded his second European Tour title at the 2018 Hero Indian Open. The Manchester United fan scored two eagles and 18 birdies against nine bogeys and a double-bogey while averaging 293.8 yards off the tee throughout all four rounds.
4. Sharma continued his fine form to finish tied-seventh at the Hero Indian Open. It was the best result he has ever achieved in his National Open. The result also moved him up two rungs to 64th position on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), where he maintained his status as the leading Indian in the world.
5. India has been home to some of the most passionate fans in the world of golf. Massive crowds followed Sharma’s group throughout the week. After his rounds, heart-felt handshakes, autographs and selfies were the order of the day. The young Indian had returned home in glory at the start of the week, finishing tied-ninth in his World Golf Championships debut in Mexico and earning a coveted invite to The Masters Tournament in April.

New Delhi, India, March 11: Matt Wallace of England defeated compatriot Andrew Johnston at the first playoff hole to win the US$1.75 million Hero Indian Open on Sunday.

The 27-year-old, who went into the fourth round with a one-shot lead with Shubhankar Sharma, started magnificently by scoring four birdies before making the turn. He made another birdie on the 10th and a bogey on the 16th before signing for four-under-par 68 at the Gary Player layout of the DLF Golf and Country Club.

Johnston put in a bogey-free performance and forced a playoff with Wallace after carding a 66, the day’s lowest score. Both golfers ended regulation play on 11-under-par 277 total.

At the first playoff hole on the 624-yard par-five 18th, Wallace hit the greens in two and made a birdie, while Johnston could only muster a par. With that, Wallace became the first Englishman to win the Hero Indian Open.

Sihwan Kim of the United States

Sihwan Kim of the United States made a charge on the last day of the tournament, but he was not able to keep up with the relentless pace set by the leaders. The 2017 Asian Tour Qualifying School graduate shot five birdies and a bogey for 68 to finish the tournament in third place.

Local favourite Sharma started Sunday with two birdies through four holes. However, his tournament unravelled after double bogeys at the fifth and seventh holes. The two-time Asian Tour winner and current Habitat for Humanity Standings leader carded a 75 to finish in tied-seventh.

2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Gavin Green of Malaysia ended the Hero Indian Open on a bright note, scoring seven birdies including four successive ones from holes 14th to 17th and signing for a 71 to finish in tied-16th.

Did you know:

• Matt Wallace missed only 10 fairways in the entire tournament and averaged 1.54 putts per hole.
• His best previous finish this season was tied-19th at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, which was his last European Tour appearance
• He is ranked 152nd on the Official World Golf Ranking list going into the Hero Indian Open, and he will move into the top-100 following his victory in India.
• Wallace won the Alps Tour Order of Merit in 2016. That year, he won six times on the developmental professional golf tour.
• This is his second European Tour win in his 32nd appearance, following his maiden victory at the 2017 Open de Portugal at Morgado Golf Resort.
• Andrew Johnston’s maiden victory was at the 2016 Real Club Valderrama Open de Espana hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation.
• His best previous finish this season was tied-ninth at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA.
• Sihwan Kim earned his tour card last year by making the mark at the 2017 Asian Tour Qualifying School.
• In 2017, Kim was tied-ninth at the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open, eighth at the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open and tied-sixth at the Indonesian Masters. He finished 55th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, securing his card for the 2018 season.
• His best finish in 2018 so far was tied-21st at the LeoPalace21 Myanmar Open.
• Shubhankar Sharma, who has earned US$548,125 so far, retains his lead on the Habitat for Humanity Standings as well as the Race to Dubai on the European Tour.
• He was the best putter in the tournament. Over four days, he averaged 1.51 putts per hole.
• Sharma received a Masters Tournament invitation prior to the Hero Indian Open.
• 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Gavin Green is the first Malaysian to win the accolade. He earned US$582,463 in 2017.

Player interviews:

Matt Wallace (Eng) Fourth Round 68 (-4), Total 277 (-11)

I feel amazing. It was a hard week and a hard golf course. You can’t be off your game. The people who played well are going to be on top. I think, I played great and didn’t miss too many shots. It was satisfying to master this course. Dave (his caddy) was saying that it was set up sometimes like the U.S. Open. You can hit great shots, but it can run into the rough or slope. So, it’s particularly satisfying to win here.

I had never thought of playing it safe during the playoff, even during regulation play when I was farther out. I was swinging it that good. I feel that my long iron play this week was the best part of my game, so as soon as I was all the way down on the end of the fairway, I was going to hit an iron and go for the green.

I was most nervous on the 16th tee. For the second shot, I hit it into the bunker on the downslope. Then, I hit an unbelievable shot out of there and holed the putt. Stephen Gallacher put his arm around me and said, ‘keep going, kid’. That helped me a lot as he’s a veteran. To make a bogey like that was key for my round. I went to the tee box on 17th and got back into the game.

As soon as we finished yesterday and Shubhankar made birdie on 18th  to grab the lead with me, I told Dave, ‘we’re not going to be favourites tomorrow.’ But as soon as I woke up in the morning, I was like, ‘this is going to be like round one and I will shoot my best.’ I planned to play the aggressively and score. That front nine today was special to me this week. 

I was in the zone midway through round three. You have to be calm here. If you double bogey, you can’t be too disheartened, and similarly you can be too excited if you shoot an eagle.

This is one of the hardest golf course that I’ve played. I’ll learn from it and I’m looking forward to playing in similar conditions next time.

If Shubhankar had played well and had the local support, it would have been really tough for me. For him to achieve all the things he has done, he has been phenomenal. I’ve done something similar, but on a lower level as I’ve won many times on the Alps Tour in a short time. We had a chat on the golf course and I think he’s going to do really well, especially when he has the local support.

This week has taught me a lot. Hopefully, it can be the start of a few things coming up.

Andrew Johnston (Eng) Fourth Round 66 (-6), Total 277 (-11) 

I feel good as I played very well today, as I did on Friday. I was happy to be able to put up a good score today and force a playoff. I’m slightly frustrated, as I attempted a similar putt on the 18th during regulation play. I didn’t think it broke that much and I hit a good putt, but it didn’t go in. It’s alright. I had a very good week.

I was trying to stay patient and I wanted to start well. Yesterday, I made a mistake on eighth, and made a birdie on ninth. Today, I made birdies on both holes, which was good. I played solid on the back nine, so I played lovely all day.

Anything could have happened out there. I just tried to play my own game and I knew that I was just a couple of shots behind. When I birdied 17th and I got to the green on 18th, I realised we were tied.

I didn’t like the yardage at the 18th. It felt like it was just setting me down the left towards the traps a lot of the time. I said, this is a percentage golf course and stick to it. I’ve been hitting the wedges well, putting well and sticking to my game plan and that was what I worked for.

I’m very happy with the way I played this year. Last year was tough. This year’s start has been good so I just got to keep pushing on and keep working hard.

Sihwan Kim (Usa) Fourth Round 68 (-4), Total 280 (-8)

It was a difficult course and I didn’t expect the leaders to shoot so low. I had a number in mind this morning, and I achieved what I thought. The number was four-under-par, obviously. I thought I had a pretty good chance to win, but with scores that low, that wasn’t the case.

Today I was good off the tee. I made some great putts and great up-and-downs. Indeed, I got the momentum going.

Even though I was within two shots of the lead after I birdied the ninth, I approached the back nine pretty much the same as I did the whole tournament, which was to stay aggressive.

At the 18th, I wasn’t the most comfortable on the tee box. I pulled it left into the hazard, then I just made the best out of the situation.

This result will get my confidence up, especially when playing on difficult golf courses. If I continue to play like this, then I’ll be fine.

The conditions have been great and the people have been nice. It’s nice to have co-sanctions like this event, which means more opportunities for Asian Tour players to play on the European Tour.

Shubhankar Sharma (Ind) Fourth Round 75 (+3), Total 284 (-4)

I am disappointed obviously. The good thing today, was that I made a birdie at the last hole. It was a mixed bag. These things happen and it is not an easy course. Even though I started well, I made a few bad swings and in the end it’s alright. I really enjoyed the tournament and I loved the support. I’d like to thank everyone for coming out to support me.

I was just trying to keep up with Matt. He was playing so well. I made a bad swing on the fifth hole, which put me out of contention. I was trying to come back, but I made another bad swing on the seventh. You can’t really drop too many shots on this course and I dropped nine today.

I was five-over-par going into the last hole, but, it’s alright as it’s all part of the game. I’m happy about the way I’ve been playing and that I’m able to get myself into contention every week.

I’m looking forward to playing the 2018 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play tournament. It’ll be a good break from stroke play. The last time I won a matchplay event was the All-Indian Amateur, which was six years ago.

I put in a lot of hard work, and I’m happy with the way things have been. Disappointments are part of the game. It’ll just make me stronger. The next time I’m in this situation, I’ll do better.

Gavin Green (Mas) Fourth Round 71 (-1), Total 288 (even-par)

I made some good putts. Although, a few bad tee shots had cost me during the round. It was an average week and I wished I had played better. I love India and I will want to come back next year.

Towards the end of the round, the putts started to drop and I thought to myself, ‘OK, this isn’t too bad.’ This course is tough, so to walk away with even par is pretty decent.

I’ve made changes to my game and it’s working out so far. Compared to last week, this week a lot better for me. I struck the ball a lot better, my short game got a little strong. I just have to work on my drives, hopefully before my next event.

I’ll be taking a nice break, then probably head over to Morocco and Spain. But for now, I’m going to chill out, have fun and enjoy my break.

Scores after round 4 of the Hero Indian Open 2018 being played at the par 72, 7379 Yards DLF GcC course (am – denotes amateur):

277 – Matt WALLACE (ENG) 69-70-70-68, Andrew JOHNSTON (ENG) 72-66-73-66.

280 – Sihwan KIM (USA) 70-70-72-68.

281 – Pablo LARRAZABAL (ESP) 67-71-74-69, Matthias SCHWAB (AUT) 71-72-68-70.

283 – Emiliano GRILLO (ARG) 65-68-78-72.

284 – Stephen GALLACHER (SCO) 72-71-67-74, Shubhankar SHARMA (IND) 73-64-72-75.

286 – Jinho CHOI (KOR) 72-71-72-71, Joost LUITEN (NED) 71-69-74-72, Aaron RAI (ENG) 71-73-69-73.

287 – Robert ROCK (ENG) 73-73-74-67, Keith HORNE (RSA) 66-73-80-68, Clement SORDET (FRA) 72-72-71-72, Hideto TANIHARA (JPN) 74-68-72-73.

288 – James MORRISON (ENG) 70-72-77-69, Jens DANTORP (SWE) 69-70-79-70, Gavin GREEN (MAS) 69-73-75-71, Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) 69-70-76-73, Steven BROWN (ENG) 74-71-70-73, Ricardo GOUVEIA (POR) 69-73-71-75.

289 – Casey O’TOOLE (USA) 74-66-77-72.

290 – Gregory HAVRET (FRA) 73-72-73-72, Paul PETERSON (USA) 67-73-73-77.

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Please visit us at:

www.dev-asian.ocs-software.com

www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf

www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf

www.youtube.com/theasiantour

www.weibo.com/asiantourgolf