Kuala Lumpur: India’s rising golfing star Shubhankar Sharma continued his red-hot form as he fired a stunning 10-under-par 62 to clinch the USD 3 million Maybank Championship, here Sunday.
Shubhankar turned in a dominant display to clinch his second Asian Tour and European Tour title with a winning total of 21-under-par 267 in windy conditions at the Saujana Golf and Country Club. It was his fourth start since winning the Joburg Open in South Africa in December.
His sensational round included five birdies in each half which included clutch birdie putts on 17 and 18. His winning total of 21-under is the lowest winning score at the Maybank Championship. This is Shubhankar’s second Maybank Championship appearance. He finished tied ninth last year to seal his Asian Tour card.
The victory earned Shubhankar USD 500,000 and moved him to the top of the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings and on the Race to Dubai on the European Tour. Shubhankar was in excellent form, dropping just three shots the entire week and was flawless. His final round 62 is his joint lowest score on the Asian Tour in relation to par. He shot a 61 (par 71) in the second round of the Joburg Open and a 62 on the last day of the 2016 Resorts World Manila Masters.
Shubhankar, who shot 70-69 in the first two rounds and made the cut in tied 48th spot, produced 66-62 on the weekend for a sensational 16-under in 36 holes. His 66 in the third put him within four shots of the lead and he charged into contention on the final round when he got off to a hot front nine with five birdies in a span of six holes from fourth to ninth.
He added five more on the back nine on 11th, 13th and 14th and again holed touch clutch putts on last two holes. Adding to Indian contingent’s joy was Khalin Joshi, who is Shubhankar’s roommate this week.
Joshi, still searching for his first win on either Asian or European Tours, finished in a share of fifth place alongside Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa, Hideto Tanihara, Nino Bertasio and world number 47 Dylan Frittelli of South Africa.
As for other Indians, Shiv Kapur (72) slipped from tied 11th to tied 23rd, while Gaganjeet Bhullar (72) came down from tied 19th to tied 27th. Arjun Atwal (72) also slipped from tied 26th to tied 34th. Jyoti Randhawa (71) was tied 50th and SSP Chawrasia (70) was tied 55th. Finishing second was the co-overnight leader Jorge Campillo of Spain.
