The past week Oct. 26th – Nov. 1st, 2020 saw a total of five Indian players play across the tours and continents. Arjun Atwal and Anirban Lahiri played at the US$4 mn Bermuda Championship, Shubhankar Sharma and SSP Chawrasia played the US$1.16 mn Cyprus Open on the European Tour and Anika Varma, the top-ranked amateur added another winner’s trophy at the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour.
So, here’s our first edition of Weekly Digest, providing you with all the updates on Indian golf from the past week.
Lahiri moves to 31st on the FedExCup Rankings
Anirban Lahiri
Image: Golf Digest
Anirban Lahiri, India’s only regular on the elite PGA Tour in the USA, signed off his week in Bermuda with a tied-11th finish at 10-under par. Lahiri shot rounds of 68-70-69-67 for his second-best finish of the newly started 2021 season. His previous best, tied-6th, came at the US$ 4mn Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship (Sep. 24-27) in Mexico.
Also in the field was Arjun Atwal, who failed to make the cut with scores of 75-70 at the US$ 4mn Bermuda Championship. Atwal was the first reserve for the event, but the spot went to him after the Monday qualifier winner, Greyson Sigg, tested positive for COVID-19.
Previously on the 2021 season of the PGA Tour, Lahiri has finished tied-36th at US$ 6.6mn Safeway Open (Sep.10-13), tied-6th at US$ 4mn Corales Puntacana Championship (Sep. 24-27) &; tied-37th at US$ 6.6. mn Sanderson Farms Championship; Lahiri has total winnings of US$ 2,91,1,21(₹ 2,16,73,773) and moves to 31st on the FedExCup Rankings.
Sharma’s best of 2020 comes in Cyprus
Shubhankar Sharma
24-year-old, Shubhankar Sharma shot rounds of 67, 66, 69, 69 at the US$ 1.16mn Cyprus Open on the European Tour to finish tied-14th at 13-under par, seven-strokes behind the eventual winner, Callum Shinkwin of England.
Sharma, playing in his 18th event of the season, came within two-strokes of the leader on the 13th hole but fell short of capitalising his gains, while still ensuring his best finish of the 2020 season. With his performance, Sharma added US$ 17,000 to his season earnings (₹ 12.6 lakhs) and moved 15 spots up to 136th on the Race to Dubai Rankings. While 2020 has been devastating for golfers across the globe, Sharma has entered as many events as possible after lockdown norms eased for travel and played his first European Tour event in over five months at the new Hero Open in England. Since August he has amassed a total of US$ 1,27,330 (₹ 94.7 lakhs), in 12 events.
Next start for Sharma is in Cyprus again, the European Tour is playing the US$ 1.16mn Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown at Aphrodite Hills Resort. Sharma will be joined by SSP Chawrasia as the only other Indian in the field.
Anika wins in California
Anika Varma
Image: Noah Montgomery
16-year-old Anika Varma from Noida, who currently resides and studies in California shot rounds of 85 and 75 to claim the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour (HJGT) in her category Girls 14-18 by three-strokes over Audrey Brust of Nevada. The event played out at Bayonet and Black Horse course from Oct.31st – Nov.1st.
Anika struggled in the opening round but was able to bounce back with a second-round 75, a 10-shot improvement from the previous day, to claim the title.
Previously in August, Anika became the first Indian to play at the prestigious U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and currently stands 184th on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), making her the highest-ranked Indian.