(Golf News) In the chilly weather, with the wind gaining strength and rain pouring down, the lone Indian golfer, Shubhankar Sharma, perseveres on a time-honored British course, engaging his mind in the intricacies of golf physics and geometry.

Stepping left and then right, Shubhankar carefully positions himself just behind the ball, squinting towards the distant hole, a challenging 36 feet away. With utmost focus, he studies the lines, analyzes angles, and examines the slopes, calculating the precise force required to navigate the unforgiving and treacherous green to sink an intricate putt.

Shubhankar’s father, Mohan Lal, observes, “The Open tests your imagination, and it suits Shubhankar perfectly. He is an artist in his approach to the game.”

Throughout the past four days, Shubhankar Sharma showcased his artistry, consistently excelling in his performance. He skillfully chooses to play a stinger, a forceful and low shot, infused with abundant forward spin. The result is nothing short of miraculous, as a remarkable 36-feet putt unfolds.

Launching the ball on a trajectory that veers at least a foot to the left of the hole, it races down the undulating slope of the Royal Liverpool course, maintaining considerable velocity and control.

In a heart-stopping moment, the ball appears to be on the verge of speeding past the hole but suddenly decelerates, executing a sharp left turn. It teeters on the edge of the cup, creating a nerve-wracking suspense, and finally, to everyone’s awe, drops in for an incredible eagle on the fifth hole during Round 3 on Saturday.

The audacious nature of the shot even astounded seasoned Major winner and former world number one, Jason Day. Shubhankar later recounted, “We exchanged a fist pump, and he jokingly said, ‘thanks for the line’.”

Shubhankar’s remarkable achievement of securing the highest finish by an Indian at The Open, the prestigious and historic golf tournament, can be attributed to his fearless shot-making, tenacious perseverance, and composed demeanor while contending with the forces of nature.

On Sunday, Shubhankar concluded his impressive performance at Hoylake, claiming a tied 8th position with an outstanding five-under total, surpassing Jyoti Randhawa’s tied 27th finish in 2004. This achievement also marks the second-best result by an Indian at a Major tournament, with Anirban Lahiri’s tied-fifth finish at the PGA Championship in 2015 being the only one ahead.

“Take a bow, Shubhankar,” tweeted Lahiri. “I hope young ones back home stayed up to witness this.”

If indeed the young Indian golf enthusiasts stayed up and watched, they would have witnessed a remarkable display of resilient golf under challenging conditions. Particularly on Sunday, amidst continuous rain, Shubhankar stood out as the sole player in a field full of stars to achieve a bogey-free round, carding an impressive 17 pars and securing a birdie on the 15th hole.

All of this unfolded while he celebrated his 27th birthday right in the midst of the tournament, relishing a meal of humble rajma chawal, surrounded by his entire family. They had rented an apartment just a short distance from the course, not too far from the legendary Penny Lane.

Last weekend proved to be a much-needed turning point for Shubhankar, who climbed a remarkable 111 spots on the world rankings table, landing at 165. His career, which had appeared to be stagnating, witnessed a promising resurgence. Shubhankar burst onto the scene as an ambitious 21-year-old, securing two victories on the World Tour and an impressive tied 9th position in a World Golf Championship event in Mexico. At that time, he was the youngest golfer in the world’s top-100 and briefly led the European Tour rankings during a whirlwind three months in 2018.

However, since then, his journey has been marked by ups and downs. In the four tournaments leading up to The Open, Shubhankar struggled, missing the cut in three and finishing 58th at the Scandinavian Mixed in Stockholm the previous month.

Yet, his fortunes changed in Liverpool, as everything seemed to align at just the right moment, according to his coach Jesse Grewal. Grewal explains that this time, they took a different approach by arriving at the venue a month in advance for thorough preparation. Instead of their usual routine of arriving on a Sunday, training from Monday onwards, and competing on Thursday, they decided to understand the course well in advance. In June, they conducted three practice rounds, allowing them to devise a comprehensive strategy for every hole. With a clear plan in place, Shubhankar was able to navigate the course with confidence and skill during The Open.

Grewal emphasizes that a significant focus was placed on Shubhankar’s putting game, but the conditions during the tournament differed from those in June when the course was dry. Last week, the ball didn’t roll as much on the fairways, and the greens were slower. As a result, Shubhankar had to be precise with his yardages. However, to his credit, he remained clear-minded about his game plan, and everything seemed to fall into place during the tournament, despite the challenging conditions.

The preparation prior to the event was further enhanced by the calming presence of Shubhankar’s parents and sister, who accompanied him throughout the 72 holes in Liverpool. A family-oriented individual, Shubhankar felt “relaxed” and at ease with his loved ones around him, as his father points out.

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