Major achievement: Shubhankar qualifies for US Open

Chandigarh, Shubhankar Sharma’s first Major was the Masters this April, and he got to play there after getting a special invite. His second Major would be next week’s US Open, but this time, he’s earned the honour after coming through a tough qualifying tournament.
Sharma grabbed a spot in the US Open with solid rounds of 69 and 68 in the qualifying tournament in Columbus, Ohio. In the qualifiers held at Brookside GCC and Lakes Golf and Country Club, the 21-year-old from Panchkula was tied fifth.
Two other Indians — Shiv Kapur, playing the qualifier at Walton Heath, Surrey, and Arjun Atwal, playing in Tennessee — failed to earn a spot for the US Open, to be played at Shinnecock Hills, New York, from June 14.
Great day

“It was a great day for me. It was a long one with 36 holes but I am glad I played the Brookside in the morning as it is tougher with smaller greens. I grinded it out for a 69,” Sharma said after qualifying. “But it was nervy ending on the 18th (in second round). I hit to the left off the tee and it took a bad bounce and it went into the rough. I had a terrible lie and I had to hit with one foot in the bunker with 150 yards to the front of the green.”
“I hit a 9-Iron, which stayed short and again in the rough, thick lie. But I made a great up and down. I hit a good chip to 10 feet and holed it for par,” he continued. “At that stage I did not know the scores and felt that I needed to make par to have any chance.”
Shrugging aside the disappointment of missing the cut at last year’s Memorial tournament, Sharma shot a 3-under 69 with six birdies and three bogeys in the first round. In the second round he was all aggression as he eagled the par-5 third and added birdies on fifth and seventh and turned in 4-under for the round and 7-under for the qualifiers. Sharma ended up tied-5th in the qualifier in which South Korea’s Sungjae Im (67-68) and Shane Lowry (68-67) shared the top spot.
Major Joy
Twenty-one years ago, Gaurav Ghei became the first Indian to qualify for a Major, at the 1997 British Open. Eight Indians have played in the Majors till date, and Jeev Milkha Singh holds the record for the highest appearances, 14.