Male golfers Shubhankar Sharma, Gaganjeet Bhullar qualify for Paris Olympics

New Delhi, June 18 (IANS) India’s number one male golfer Shubhankar Sharma and compatriot Gaganjeet Bhullar have qualified for the Paris Olympic Games and will be teeing off for the country at the prestigious Golf National course in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, in the French capital in August. 

Shubhankar's berth in Paris was confirmed after the International Golf Federation (IGF) revealed its Olympic qualification list of 60 men and women golfers for the Olympic Golf tournament, scheduled between August 1-4, 2024. Shubhankar, whose Official World Golf Ranking is 222, qualified with an Olympic rank of 48 paving the way for a Games debut for the Chandigarh lad.

He will be joined by Gaganjeet Bhullar who qualified with an Olympic rank of 54 and who will also be making his Olympic debut. Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar will be representing India in the women’s tournament.

Shubhankar, the 27-year-old Indian, who recently signed as Brand Ambassador of Roundglass Sports, is a two-time winner on the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) and has eight career titles to his name. He will be seen in action next at the KLM Open in Amsterdam and the Italian Open this month, which are both part of the DP World Tour.

Sharing his thoughts on the moment, Shubhankar Sharma said, “It’s a privilege and honour to represent India at the Olympics. It’s a dream come true obviously. I have been preparing for this day for a while now, and am planning my schedule for the European Tour, accordingly. We have a very good and experienced team of Gaganjeet, Aditi, Diksha and myself.

"We have depth and experience behind us. All are playing solid golf at the moment, on our respective tours too, and that’s a good sign. If Olympic week turns our way, any medal is possible for both Men and Women’s Teams. Personally speaking, my game is trending in the right direction and I am keyed up to deliver,” he said.

Shubhankar is a prodigal talent who turned pro in 2013 at the age of 16. He is currently the highest-ranked Indian in men’s professional golf globally and was the No.1 player in Asia in 2018. Shubhankar has had a status on the European and Asian Tours since 2018.

Shubhankar has made multiple appearances in all the Golf Majors and recorded the best-ever finish by an Indian at The Open, the oldest golf championship in the world. At the 151st Open in Liverpool last year, he finished tied for eighth position. In addition, his two European Tour titles have been the Joburg Open and the Maybank Championships. His six other titles have been in India’s top pro tour, the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).

Shubhankar is also a recipient of the Arjuna Award in 2018, the second highest honour for sports personalities in the country. He was also awarded the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year in 2018 and is a winner of the Asian Tour Order of Merit in the same year.

--IANS

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