The Open Championship: Shubhankar Sharma rises to T3 with a fighting 71 on day two

The first time Shubhankar Sharma was playing the Open, he needed a desperate scramble under spitting rain to secure his place in the weekend draw. With only six holes left to play at Carnoustie in 2018, he was well outside the cut line at five-over. But in his typically resilient manner, Shubhankar clawed his way back with three magical birdies to extend his stay. The Open means the world to Shubhankar. And finally, he may have the chance to experience some momentous thrill this weekend.

The 27-year-old seems intent on bearing his mark down on a challenging layout made tougher by the blowing winds. A fighting 71 on Friday, despite a double bogey on the treacherous 17th, was a further sign of his evolution as a person and golfer.

He has come a long way from those early days in Europe when he was transitioning to the major league riding on his success in Asia. Not only has he progressed as a golfer, but the young man has also bolstered his mental resilience and course management skills. Some of his transformation was visible in his results last year. Even though he made just 9 cuts in 23 starts, that was enough for him to finish 29th on the order of merit, winning more than a million dollars.

Shubhankar arrived at the Open eager to leave a mark. After playing some decent golf in the Scottish Open last week, he reached Hoylake determined to present his full range of skills to a challenging layout. Shubhankar played nine holes on Monday and Tuesday, under the watchful eye of his coach Jesse Grewal.

“My career is developing well; it is my 10th season as a professional. It is a process of learning; golf teaches you about the game and life,” admitted Shubhankar on Tuesday. “I feel that I have grown both as a person and a professional. I am so much better at dealing with situations on and off the course, particularly in dealing with pressure and expectations. I am sure that will help me this week.”

True to his word, Shubhankar came through the opening round with a great deal of confidence and plentiful returns, ending the day at T7. His 68 included a pair of birdies on either stretch, but most importantly he produced quality golf in the moments that threatened to slide away from him. The sand wedge at the 16th to bring the ball to the pin and dealing with the rough on the 10th hole to eventually save par were situations that underlined his steady temperament and a reservoir of tricks in the bag. On Friday, Shubhankar appeared determined to push forth and climb up the order. After a steady start, he finally managed to put the wheels on his cart with a terrific birdie at the par-4 seventh hole. He shot himself off the green to the right with his second shot and a scrambled par seemed the most likely outcome. But Shubhankar holed out from 15 yards for a phenomenal recovery. But with the wind firmly behind him at the par-4 8th hole, Shubhankar sailed into the rough 23 yards past the green. That cost him a stroke, but not his mind. He kept to his process with a hawk-like focus. Shubhankar did well to take advantage of the par-5s on the home stretch. He made birdies at both the 15th and 18th holes, both greens guarded by penal bunkers waiting to punish the slightest error. The birdie on the 18th was especially significant for Shubhankar going into the biggest weekend of his life.

The 17th, a 136-yard par-3 has been the centre of many conversations this week. It is called the Little Eye, but a wicked one might have been a more appropriate moniker for this beastly hole. The tee box has a horseshoe gallery, making it harder for the players to judge the wind at this hole.

Shubhankar found himself between clubs, eventually picking an 8-iron when nine might have been efficient. The ball flew into the waste beyond the green, with very little room for a full stroke. After extracting sideways with the second, his third left him a painful 23 feet from the cup. The double bogey stained his card, but not his spirit. And the bounce back at the 18th, where he made the four-footer for birdie, accompanied by a chorus of birthday greetings was the perfect finish to a hard day’s work at the office.

“Very happy. In fact, I was seeing the scores, and when I teed off the first two, three holes, I saw the wind was definitely a lot more than what we played yesterday,” said a visibly relaxed Shubhankar. “I told myself a level par round would not be a bad round today. Obviously, I didn’t want that 17 (double bogey) to happen and finish level par like that, but if I look at it as a whole, I’m quite happy. Level par is good. Still in it. Still, two more good days to go, and I’ll be good.”

He should be. With the exception of Brian Harman, who was firing on rocket fuel, most of the field was weaving a web and tripping sideways. Harman, who last won a PGA TOUR event in 2017, showed remarkable skill and poise extracting a phenomenal 65 from the tight course. That sent him soaring to 10-under 132 matching the scores of Tiger Woods in 2006 and Rory McIlroy in 2014 when each of them won the Open at Hoylake.

Christo Lamprecht was introduced to the heartless nature of golf, sliding to the cut line after a horrendous 79. The young amateur was the first-round leader with a 66, alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Emiliano Grillo. Min Woo Lee and Shubhankar are tied in third at 3-under, leaving miles of space on the board between the leader and the trailing pack.