I'll cherish this experience forever: Shubhankar Sharma

Shubhankar Sharma

Overnight leader Shubhankar Sharma could not pull off a dream win owing to a late slump but the Indian golfer rose in stature with a creditable tied ninth finish at the USD 10 million WGC-Mexico Championship here.

Sharma (21) was tied with two-time Masters champion, Bubba Watson (67) and Canadian Adam Hadwin (66). Phil Mickelson won on the first play-off hole against Justin Thomas (64), while Rafa Cabrera-Bello (67), shared third with Tyrrell Hatton (67). After a dream run through the first three rounds of 65-66-69, Sharma fell with a stuttering 74 on a final day. After being 14-under at one stage on the third day, he finished with a total of 10-under and tied-9th.

Disappointing it may seem, but it was India's second best ever, next only to the seasoned Jeev Milkha Singh's T-4 back in 2009. The winner then and on this Sunday was the same Mickelson.

Sharma had done well on the third day to keep the lead but on the fourth he was reduced to being a spectator as Mickelson conjured up shots from troubled zones as only he can and worked his magic around the greens to finish the weekend with 65-66 and get into a play-off with another modern-day magician Justin Thomas. Thomas' 62-64 included an eagle hole out from 120 yards on Par-4 18th.

The duo enjoined at 16-under, were separated by 23 years, and required a play-off to break the tie. In the play-off Mickelson ended a five-year title drought with a regulation par on Par-3 17th, while Thomas failed to match it. It was Mickelson's first win since his triumph at The Open at Muirfield in 2013.

"I am a bit disappointed, I was leading but couldn't finish it off today, but I'll cherish this experience forever," said Sharma claiming the tricky putting greens did him in.

"I just felt like nothing went in. Even on nine, I hit it in the middle of the hole it lipped out. I never felt like I could get the speed right or maybe the line, it wasn't my day. But if you'd tell me four months ago that I'd be playing with Phil at a WGC on the last day, I would have just laughed. Just playing with him has been fantastic."

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