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Sharma wins South African event he nearly skipped
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INDIA’S Shubhankar Sharma completed his maiden European Tour triumph yesterday in Johannesburg by winning the Joburg Open tournament he almost did not compete in.
He carded a 3-under-par 69 in the final round to finish three strokes clear of South African Eric van Rooyen in an event that stretched to five days because of bad weather.
The final round was suspended on Sunday due to torrential rain, lightning and hail and resumed yesterday at 7:30am local time.
The 21-year-old Sharma birdied three holes on the outward trek at the Randpark Golf Club, then parred all the inward-nine holes with immaculate approach shots and putting highlights of his game.
After three bogeys during his opening-round 69 last Thursday, Sharma played 55 holes without dropping a shot and his second-round 61 was the lowest score of the tournament.
Visa delays and tiredness after a long Asian Tour campaign left Sharma contemplating missing the tri-sanctioned European Tour, Asian Tour and South African Sunshine Tour event.
His late decision to visit South Africa for the first time paid rich dividends as the youngster pocketed a 2.6-million rand (US$190,000) first prize.
Victory also guaranteed Sharma, along with Van Rooyen and joint third Shaun Norris of South Africa, places at the 2018 British Open in Carnoustie next July.
“I am thrilled that I came to the Joburg Open,” said Sharma after adding to five victories on the Indian circuit.
“It has been a very long Asian Tour season for me so I was considering whether I wanted to visit South Africa. I am really happy that I did.”
Van Rooyen quickly became the biggest final-round threat to Sharma and five outward-nine birdies narrowed the gap to four shots by the turn.
But he could add only one further birdie, leaving steady Sharma to succeed one week after compatriot Arjun Atwal finished runner-up at the Mauritius Open.
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