Augusta, Georgia, 06-04-2018
Slow start for Shubhankar Sharma at the Masters, fires five-over-77 to be tied 73rd
Shubhankar Sharma of India opened his Masters campaign with a five-over-77 to be placed tied 73rd at the end of round one.
The 21-year-old European Tour Race to Dubai leader, making his Major debut at the Augusta National Golf Club this week, made three birdies on Thursday but also conceded eight bogeys.
American Jordan Spieth, the 2015 Masters champion, led the field on day one after carding a 66.
Sharma seemed to have shrugged off the early jitters as he made a steady start with pars on the first three holes. Then came his first hat-trick of bogeys from the fourth to the sixth. However, he made the turn on a positive note as he achieved his first-ever birdie at Augusta on the ninth hole.
He then negated his bogeys on the 11th and 14th with birdies on the 13th and 15th. Shubhankar, who is also the Asian Tour Order of Merit leader, finally ended the day in a disappointing manner when he bogeyed the last three holes.
Shubhankar said, “To be honest, I am not too happy with the round. I didn't finish the way I wanted to, but it was fantastic out there, the atmosphere and everything. On the back nine, I was playing steadily, but scoring three consecutive bogeys from 16th to 18th was bad.
“The putter did not work on the front nine, and the approach shots did not work on the back nine. It was a mix of both. On the 16th I was trying to hit an easy 7-Iron, which I pulled and it was pin high but too far left. I will still not be too hard on myself. I made bogey, actually, a good bogey. Although, both the 17th and 18th were hard.”
He admitted, “The course was great. I think we had good scoring conditions today. The pins were pretty decent and you had a good chance of attacking most of the pins on the course today. It wasn't too windy today and if it stays the same way tomorrow, I'll be able to shoot a good score and see a good round tomorrow.”
In round two, Sharma will be teeing off at 1855 hrs IST.
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