Sharma ties in third place with Rose and McDowell at Italian Open
By V. Krishnaswamy, one of India’s leading sports writers, who has covered over 20 Majors and 250 international golf tournaments. Follow him on Twitter via @Swinging_Swamy.
Rome, October 12: Shubhankar Sharma overcame his up-and-down ride in the closing stages to birdie two of his final three holes to card two-under 69 on the second day at the Italian Open. The 23-year-old Sharma, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, is now seven-under and tied-third at the Olgiata Golf Club.
Sharma had six birdies with two dropped shots and a double bogey for a 69.
SSP Chawrasia, who shot three-over 74 in the first round was fighting back and was four-under through 10 holes and was now one-under through 28 holes. He was now inside the cut line which looked likely at Par.
Gaganjeet Bhullar however was likely to exit early as he was three-over through nine holes in second round after a first round 74 to get to a total of six-over.
Among those sharing the third place with Sharma was World No. 5, Justin Rose, who also carded 69. Graeme McDowell (66), Rhory Sabbatini (70) and Andrew Johnston (68) were also ar seven-under in Tied-third. It was a strong bunch with two US Open winners in Rose and McDowell, besides which Rose also an Olympic gold medal.
Right at the top was Matthew Fitzpatrick (67-65) who fired a six under par 65 to edge one shot clear of Denmark’s Joachim B. Hansen (67-66) at the halfway mark.
Sharma starting from the tenth bogeyed the 11thbut fought back with birdies on 13th, 15thand 17th. He was then hit by a double on 18thto fall back to even par for the day. A bogey on third pushed him over par, but birdies on fourth, seventh and ninth meant he was back in business at two-under for the day and seven-under for 36 holes.
Kurt Kitayama (66-70) was Tied-eighth, while Thongchai Jaidee (69-70) was T-28thwith Finn Kalle Samooja (70-69) and Kiradech Aphibarnrat (69-75) missed the cut at two-over. Also missing the cut was Gavin Green ((71-75). First round leader, Tapio Pulkkanen (64-72) slipped to Tied-8th.
Home favourite Francesco Molinari, the 2018 Open Champion, carded a five over par round of 76 to miss the cut by five shots, while Shane Lowry (72-71), the 2019 Open winner, also failed to make it to the weekend.
Ends.