By Rahul Banerji
Shubhankar Sharma will be back in action in the final leg of the PGA Tour’s east Asian swing in his debut at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai on Thursday.
He will be joined by Gaganjeet Bhullar who is appearing at the event for the fourth time.
Bhullar played the first leg of the east Asia swing at the CIMB Classic in Malaysia but not the Cj Cup @ Nine Bridges in South Korea
Sharma has had an up and down time of it so far with one strong round at Jeju Island but little else otherwise.
Better show
He will be keen to put on a better show in China where he has the services of his physio Dr Ravindra Kumar, at hand.
Nine Indians in all have played at the WGC HSBC Championship with Jeev Milkha Singh doing so five times and S.S.P Chawrasia four four times besides Bhullar.
Jyoti Randhawa was tied ninth for a best Indian finish at the event 12 years ago while Bhullar had a best round of 63 in 2012.
Rosey back
Meanwhile, England’s Justin Rose is excited to be back at the scene of his come-from-behind victory. The win helped Rose become the 2018 FedExCup champion.
The 38-year-old recovered from being eight shots back in the final round at Sheshan International Golf Club for his first WGC-HSBC Champions title.
Rose thereafter went on to win the $10 million FedEx Cup prize as well
“I won the FedExCup by 34 points and the 550 I earned here were a long way towards winning that,” said Rose in Shanghai.
“It is really good to be back. The course is looking lovely out there, and yeah, warm welcome back from everybody here at Sheshan and obviously HSBC.
“I’m thoroughly looking forward to the week getting going tomorrow.”
Making history?
Rose will aim to become the first to retain a WGC-HSBC Champions trophy, though Phil Mickelson won Asia’s lone World Golf Championships event in 2007 and 2009.
“It’s been a special year. It’s been a special month, a couple of those things you mentioned, going to (world) no. 1, Ryder Cup, the FedExCup all happened pretty much off the back of one another,” he said.
Rose will contend with the likes of last week’s winner Brooks Koepka, who also reached world no. 1 status on Sunday following his fifth PGA Tour triumph in South Korea.
“To start the year off with a win is something you always want to do. One-for-one is always nice. I like this golf course. I like the way it sets up,” said Koepka.
“Obviously last year was a little bit disappointing but the way Rosey played, finishing that off was impressive. Obviously coming off a win, I feel like my game is in good shape.”
Johnson hopeful
Dustin Johnson, the 2013 WGC-HSBC Champions winner, hopes to make amends for letting slip a six-shot lead in the final round at last year’s tournament.
“I always look forward to coming here. I like the golf course. It’s a great tournament. I’ve had a lot of success on this golf course, so it’s a tournament that I look forward to coming to play,” he said
Rory McIlroy is also intent on securing a maiden victory at the WGC-HSBC Champions and a 15th PGA Tour title.
He has five top-10 finishes in his six appearances at Sheshan International. “I’ve played well here in the past,” said the 29-year-old.
“I haven’t quite got the win, but I’ve consistently finished quite high and I feel like it’s a good golf course for me. I’m in a much better place this year than I was this time last year in terms of injury, and I’ve played very consistent golf.”