Sharma completes season on a high note
Shubhankar Sharma, the 26-year-old who is the only Indian currently playing full time on the European ( DP World) Tour ended the year ranked 29th in the European Tour rankings, thereby automatically earning a place in the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.
In the season-ending US$ 10mn DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, in which Shubhankar had consolidated his spot due to a brilliant 3rd place finish a week earlier in South Africa he finished 44th and ended the season with earnings of over US$ 1.14mn (₹ 9 cr). The top-30 in the final rankings all qualified for The 2023 Open.
In 2022, overall Sharma only made 9 cuts in 23 starts but thanks to the way he started the year with 2nd place in Abu Dhabi and ended with 3rd in Sun City, both Rolex series events, his ranking was better than his form most of the year.
In Dubai, Spain’s superstar Jon Rahm shot 70-66-65-67 (20-under 268) to win the DP World Tour Championship for the third time thanks to brilliant wedge play and putting that made up for his somewhat erratic driving off the tee.
A DP World Tour Championship hat-trick #DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/NbGlIRJUPe
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 20, 2022
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy finished fourth in Dubai ending the year as Europe’s No.1 for the fourth time in his career after being #1 in 2012, 2014 and 2015.
Rory Mcilroy on becoming the DP World Tour No.1 for the fourth time #DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/jkBA7udhGc
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 20, 2022
The popular McIlroy became just the second player after Henrik Stenson in 2013 to top both the FedExCup Rankings on the USPGA Tour and the DP World (European) Tour rankings while consolidating his spot as #1 in the official World Rankings also.
Credits:-
Photo – Joy Chakravarty