Rising star isn’t fading
Sharma, 21, closer to win at Mexico Championship
MEXICO CITY — Growing up in India, Shubhankar Sharma stayed up in the middle of the night to watch golf at the highest level, usually the majors, and the best players became legends to him.
From the time he arrived in Mexico this past week for his first World Golf Championship, he has been hitting balls on the range next to Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth, and on Saturday he worked up the courage to introduce himself to Phil Mickelson on the putting green.
“It just feels like there’s a TV in front of me, and I’m actually watching it through a TV,” Sharma said.
Even more surreal? He’s beating them.
The 21-year-old held his nerve to the end and holed a 15-foot par putt on the 18th hole at Chapultepec Golf Club for a 2-under 69 in the third round, giving him a two-shot lead at the Mexico Championship. Sharma has one round left to hold off a few of golf’s biggest names — starting with Mickelson.
Mickelson played bogey-free for a 65 and will be in the final group for the first time since the British Open two years ago. Joining them will be Tyrrell Hatton, who went out in 30 on his way to a 64.
“It’s been a long time since my game’s been back to this point,” Mickelson said. “I’m back playing some of my best golf again. It will start to click and get better and better as the year goes on.”
As for winning for the first time since the 2013 British Open?
“I think whether it happens tomorrow or not — very good chance it will — but if it doesn’t, it’s going to happen soon because I’m playing too well for it not to,” Mickelson said.
At least there won’t be any need for an introduction. Sharma took care of that when he saw Mickelson on the putting green as he was about to tee off. Sharma’s caddie, Gurbaaz Mann, played at Arizona State and walked over with Sharma to meet Mickelson, another former Sun Devil.
Mickelson undoubtedly knew about Sharma — he’s the only two-time winner this season on the European Tour and its Race to Dubai leader, and he held a two-stroke lead after Friday’s second round. The 47-year-old five-time major winner just didn’t recognize him.
“He thought we were media, and he said, ‘Not right now. After the round,’” Sharma said with a smile. “Then he just realized it and said, ‘So sorry, I thought you were media.’ He said ‘Hi,’ I said, ‘Hi.’ Then he made a few putts, and he came back to me and said, ‘Have a good day.’ It was nice.”
Sharma was at 13-under 200 and is one round away from capping an amazing rise. Just three months ago, he had yet to win a tournament outside of India’s developmental circuit. He didn’t have a European Tour card. He was No. 462 in the world. A victory in this World Golf Championship would be his third title in his past eight starts, and likely put him in the top 25.
He faces quite a test, however. Rafa Cabrera Bello and
Sergio Garcia each had a 69 and joined Hatton and Mickelson in the group tied for second at 11 under. Four players were another stroke back, including topranked Dustin Johnson (68)
Sharma had never seen such large crowds following him, and he’s still trying to digest seeing so many players he only knew from the middle of the night at home in Chandigarh.
“Every time watching these majors, it really inspires you, especially watching it night,” he said. “Everything is quiet, and you see a guy make a putt and you (hear) that roar on TV. You can’t contain yourself. I remember when Tiger (Woods) won the U.S. Open in 2008. I had an exam the next day, so I studied all day for the exam just so that I could watch him play. I remember when he made that putt to get into the playoff, I jumped on my bed and almost broke it.”
“These are the stories that inspire you.”
Tolles has slim lead
TUCSON, Ariz. — Tommy Tolles shot a 3-under 70 and held a one-stroke advantage over Scott Dunlap and Steve Stricker, who matched Tolles’ second-round score, in the PGA Tour Champions’ Cologuard Classic.
Tolles was at 11-under 135 after 36 holes at Omni Tucson National’s Catalina Course, where Stricker lost the lead when he drove into the water on the par-5 18th on his way to a double bogey. A year after losing a chance to win the event in his debut on the 50-and-older tour when his 3-wood shot went left into the water on the final hole, Stricker found the hazard again.
Tolles bogeyed 18 after following Stricker into the water
Dunlap shot a 71. Doug Garwood (68) and Rocco Mediate (65) were another stroke behind.
Nelly Korda in control
SINGAPORE — Nelly Korda shot a 7-under 65 to take a onestroke lead at the LPGA Tour’s Women’s World Championship after Danielle Kang made her first bogeys of the tournament and slipped into second place after three rounds.
The 19-year-old Korda had eight birdies and one bogey at Sentosa Golf Club as she moved to 15-under 201 overall. Her sister Jessica, who turned 25 on Tuesday, won the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament last weekend.
Kang, who had a four-stroke lead after 36 holes, dropped her first shot of the tournament on the 15th hole Saturday after going 50 holes without making a bogey, then made another bogey on 18 as she shot a 70.
Brooke Henderson had a bogey-free 65, matching the tournament leader for the low round of the day, to join Minjee Lee (68) in a tie for third at 11 under.
Coetzee stays on top
PRETORIA, South Africa — George Coetzee shot a 3-under 68 and opened a two-shot lead heading into the final round of the Tshwane Open.
Coetzee, who led by a stroke after the second round, fired five birdies and two bogeys in his home city’s Pretoria Country Club — where he’s a member — to move to 14 under overall.
Sam Horsfield (64) and Mikko Korhonen (69) were tied for second.