Sensational Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma takes lead on WGC debut

Shubhankar plays a shot from the eighth tee during the second round of the World Golf Championship on Saturday. Pic/AP,PTI

Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma, 21, moved past some of the biggest names in the game to open up a two-shot lead at the USD 10 million WGC-Mexico Championship here on Saturday.

He followed up his first round 65 with a 66, that included a back nine with five birdies against no bogeys. At 11-under, he was two shots ahead of reigning Masters champion, Sergio Garcia, 2017 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Xander Schauffele and Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello. Overnight leader Louis Oosthuizen (71), World No 1 and defending champion Dustin Johnson (66), two-time Masters champion, Bubba Watson (66), fellow Asian Kiradech Aphinbarnrat (69) were among those tied-5th and four behind Sharma.

Son of an Army Colonel ML Sharma, who took time off to devote himself to his talented son, the younger Sharma hit the spotlight with two victories in a matter of seven weeks at co-sanctioned Asian Tour and European Tour events in South Africa and Malaysia.

"I'm really happy. I couldn't be in a better situation. Played so well, and the bogeys that I made today were just three putts. "Otherwise I just got the ball in play all day and it was great to finish with three birdies in a row," said Sharma.

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