Irish open: Sharma shoots 65 to take sole lead

Kildare (Ireland), Sep 8

Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma shot his best round of 2023 as he fired a flawless 7-under 65 that included an eagle and five birdies to take the sole lead at the Irish Open after the opening day.

Sharma has finished in the top-10 twice this season — a tied-8th finish at the Open in July and a T-7th at the first event of 2023 in Abu Dhabi.

The 27-year-old is ranked 65th in the Race to Dubai rankings and needs to be inside the top-50 to make the season-ending DP World Tour Championships in November in Dubai.

Another Indian Manu Gandas shot a 1-over 73 and was lying T-104th. He needs a very low second round to make the cut.

Sharma started from the tenth tee late in the afternoon on the Palmer North Course at The K Club. Though he found only 12 fairways and 12 greens in regulation, his putting was outstanding. He needed just 24 putts for the round and that made the difference.

“It was really solid. Hit the ball pretty good. Made a lot of puts until the back-nine which was my front nine, and the round kind of got even better when I made that third shot off 18,” Sharma said.

“I holed out from 105 yards. That got me to 5-under, and the front nine was solid again. I haven’t seen the stats but I’m sure I gained some strokes on the field with my putting. It was one of those days that the hole grew bigger and bigger. Really pleased, yes. I was great off the tee but the putter would be No. 1,” he added. — PTI

Ahlawat makes cut in South Korea

Incheon: Veer Ahlawat putted superbly for 4-under 68 and rose to tied-23rd to be the only Indian to make the cut at the Shinhan Donghae Open here today. Ahlawat carded a 2-under 70 in the first round. The other two Indians, Ajeetesh Sandhu (72-71) and Viraj Madappa (69-74), missed the cut, which fell at 3-under.