Sharma, Bhullar survive as DeChambeau shares Desert Classic lead

By Rahul Banerji

Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar survived to play the weekend rounds at the Dubai Desert Classic even as ‘The Professor’, Bryson DeChambeau and 23-year-old Australian Lucas Herbert shared the lead on 12-under par 132s after the second round on Friday.

Playing one behind the other, Sharma (71-69) and Bhullar (71-70), moved to four-under and three-under for two days to make the cut, though things did not pan out too well for former Hero Indian Open winner S.S.P Chawrasia (72-75) and Dubai-based amateur Rayhan Thomas (74-69) who missed out.

Thomas, 19, who joins college in US this August, was two-over 74 on the first day and he totalled 1-under 143, not good enough to play on as the cut at the Desert Classic fell at 3-under 141. Sharma was T47, while Bhullar was on the line at T56.

Herbert (69-63), who had five top-five finishes as a rookie last year was alongside world no. 5 DeChambeau, who three years ago came to Dubai as an amateur ranked at 530.

Fiery clubs

Herbert blazed through a round of 63 while DeChambeau, who had four wins in 2018, shot 66 despite three bogeys.  Both are 12-under and trailing them by one are three-time Desert Classic winner, Ernie Els at 5-under and 2011 winner Spaniard Alvaro Quiros (69-64), who closed with four birdies in his last four holes.

Sharma, who missed the cut at the Dubai Desert Classic last year, later said, “I hit my irons well, got my putter going after the sixth and it was really good on the back nine, but I just don’t know what happened with my driving. I was all over the course. I found very few fairways.

“At the range I was hitting good, so I am going to see what to do with my coach, Jesse Grewal, who is here this week.”

‘Missing out’

Added Bhullar, “I have been playing well, but am not getting the scores I should. I missed so many narrowly, lipping out, stopping short by a roll like on 18th, and just sliding past to a foot or so. Still I am happy to be around for the weekend.”

Sharma started with a birdie and then did not find any more on the front nine. He did drop a shot on and on the back nine, he birdied 10th, 12th, 16th and rolled in a long putt for a fourth birdie. “On the 11th, I really hit my only bad shot with the iron and gave away a bogey.”

Bhullar in contrast began with a bogey, but two quick birdies saw him go under par. It was helter-skelter after that but he managed to keep his head above water and make the cut.

Old is still gold

Els, who turns 50 in October,  is the only man to win the Desert Classic thrice — in 1994, 2002 and 2005. He has finished runner-up thrice and been third another three times and nine top-3 finishes in 16 previous appearances.

A top-10 here would be his 300th Top-10 in over 800 starts as a pro. “I don’t keep stats,” he said with a smile. “I like this place, as you know. I’ve had some really great times here. I’m swinging well, my body feels well. Just, you know, going on the memory bank, I guess.

“Playing with Colin (Montgomerie) and José Maria Olazabal was also fun. We’ve done a lot in the game, and we had a good couple of chats, and I found my form. You’ve got to love it.”

Sadly, Monty and Olazabal missed the cut.

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