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ABU DHABI, January 19 (PTI) — Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma showed his love for the Yas Links course here on Thursday, opening with a 5-under 67 to beat the 2023 Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald is three points behind his team in Rome later this year.
Sharma, the runner-up here in 2022, shot a first-round 67 and said with a smile: “Today’s work is done. So it’s time to relax. I wanted to go to Ferrari World today. I didn’t even last year.” Didn’t go there, it was very busy event as there were some delays. So couldn’t even get out of the room to go anywhere. But today I have time. Sharma shot a 67, tied for fifth with leader Donald, with nine birdies and a bogey for 8 under.
Australian Jason Scrivener shot seven under par with two eagles, five birdies and two bogeys, while Italian Guido Migliozzi had one eagle and five. little bird.
Irishman Seamus Power, making his Abu Dhabi debut, finished fourth with six birdies and no bogeys.
Joining Sharma at 5 under is 2019 British Open champion Sean Lowry, Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura, Sami Valimaki and Swede Sebastian Soderbergh .
Former Abu Dhabi champions Tommy Fleetwood and Henrik Stenson had a four-under 68.
Sharma said it was still dark when he got to the range and hit the ball under the lights, and he was in the second set this morning from the first tee.
He got off to a good start with a birdie putt from 15 feet on the first hole, then hit some nice approaches and made a clean three on the front nine.
Turning in four under par, he made some key par putts on the back nine and finished the day with a superb second shot on the 18th hole with a beautiful chip. Rod into within five feet for birdie.
“I’m playing really well. No bogeys, which is always good. My putt is pretty solid. I’m making a lot of key par putts, a lot of 4-5 feet. These greens are really fast. So some Putts can get really far and then you have a long return putt. I was able to do all of that and was always happy at the end of the last birdie,” Sharma said.
“From the 10th hole it really got better, so it was more windy on the back nine. So you had to play both ways to get the ball close to the pin, so it was a good test. But I stuck with it . I made a lot of good par putts. And then I got that birdie on No. 18.” Donald, who had nine birdies starting on No. 10 in the morning, had his only blemish at No. three holes. He finished the round with four straight birdies, setting his early club target at eight under par. PTI Cor SSC SSC SSC
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