Abu Dhabi, Jan 19 (PTI) Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma showed his liking for the Yas Links course here on Thursday, with a bogey-free start of five-under 67 that put him three behind Luke Donald, who will captain the 2023 Ryder Cup team in Rome later this year.

With a first round 67 under his belt, Sharma, runners-up here in 2022, smiled and said, “The day’s job is done. So it’s time to relax. I’m thinking of going to the Ferrari World today. I didn’t go there even last year, which was very hectic event as there were a few delays. So could not even step out of the room and go anywhere. But today I have time.” Sharma, with 67, was tied fifth as leader Donald, with nine birdies against one bogey, shot eight-under.

Australian Jason Scrivener was seven-under with two eagles, five birdies and two bogeys, alongside Italian Guido Migliozzi, who had an eagle and five birdies.

Irishman Seamus Power, making his first appearance in Abu Dhabi, had six birdies in a bogey-free effort for fourth spot.

Tied with Sharma at five-under was 2019 Open winner Shane Lowry, Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura, Sami Välimäki and Swede Sebastian Soderberg.

Former champions in Abu Dhabi, Tommy Fleetwood and Henrik Stenson were among those to card four-under 68.

Sharma, who said it was still dark when he came to the range and hit balls under the lights, was in the second group this morning from the first tee.

He got off to a great start with a 15-footer for birdie on the first and then hit some great approaches and putted cleanly for three more on the front nine.

Making the turn at four-under, he made some clutch par putts on the back nine and closed the day with a great second shot on the 18th and rounded it off with a neat chip to inside five feet for a birdie.

“I played really well. Bogey free, which is always nice. My putting was really solid. I made a lot of clutch par putts, a lot of 4-5 footers. These greens are really fast. So some of the putts can get really away and then you have a really long return putt. I was able to make all of those and always great to finish with a birdie on the last,” Sharma said.

“From the tenth it really picked up, so back nine was a lot more windy. So you had to work the ball both ways in order to stop the ball close to the pin, so it was a good test. But I held on. I made a lot of good par putts. And then I made that lone birdie on the 18th.” Donald started from the 10th in the morning and made nine birdies in all, with his only blemish coming at the third. He closed the round with four successive birdies to set the early clubhouse target at eight under par.

Source: PTI News