Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma is beneath no phantasm over the strict take a look at coming from previous pals and acquainted faces as a stellar discipline lineup for a crack on the US$2 million Worldwide Collection India in Gurugram this week. The headlines could also be about LIV Golf superstars comparable to reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and Joaquin Niemann, the 2024 Worldwide Collection rankings winner, however Sharma is cautious of the risk posed by his fellow Indian golfers from January 30 to February 2 on the DLF Golf and Nation Membership.
He places that sturdy home problem right down to the expertise the gamers have been gaining week in and week out on The Worldwide Collection and Asian Tour lately.
Anirban Lahiri, who performs with DeChambeau and Paul Casey for Crushers GC after developing by the ranks in Asia, is without doubt one of the native heroes, whereas 11-time Asian Tour winner Gaganjeet Bhullar may also draw assist from the galleries, together with veterans Jeev Milkha Singh, S.S.P. Chawrasia and Shiv Kapur.
Ajeetesh Sandhu, Rashid Khan and Rahil Gangjee are all confirmed winners on the Asian Tour, with 5 wins between them.
Others are knocking on the door, Yuvraj Sandhu, 27, managed a T4 on the Mercuries Taiwan masters in October, and 25-year-old Karandeep Khochhar was runner-up on the BNI Indonesian Masters and T5 on the Volvo China Open, each high-profile occasions on The Worldwide Collection in 2023.
Sharma, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, mentioned, “I can say this very proudly, however Indian golf has executed so nicely within the final 10, 11 years since I’ve been knowledgeable,” as per a press launch from The Worldwide Collection.
“A whole lot of the Indian gamers have utilized their craft on the Asian Tour, and that is the place I began as nicely – I gained the Asian Tour Order of Advantage in 2018 and that is the place issues actually began for me, that was my first large trophy and the Asian Tour has all the time been my house,” added the 28-year-old who has additionally gained twice on the European Tour.
“I’ve all the time mentioned that. It is the place I discovered to compete with the perfect and the place I received a correct introduction into worldwide golf and it is rather heartening to see what the Asian Tour has received with The Worldwide Collection,” added the 28-year-old.
“I could not be happier for the Asian gamers and it is nice to see the place the sport goes and never just for India however for all the opposite nations which might be doing so nicely. The fields are getting so a lot better, there’s extra depth and the competitors is a lot extra,” he mentioned.
“I feel The Worldwide Collection occasions simply reveals that, I performed in Riyadh on the finish of final season (the season-ending Saudi Worldwide) and I noticed what the competitors stage was, it was low scoring however for me it is wonderful,” he added.
“For me it is a homecoming – not solely enjoying in India however enjoying on the Asian Tour. It is way more relaxed and I do know everybody so it is an amazing environment”, he indicators off.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
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