Indian pair stays afloat while Ernie Els rolls back the years in Dubai

By Rahul Banerji

Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar kept themselves in contention at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on a topsy-turvy Saturday as ‘The Professor’, Bryson DeChamneaue went clear at the top and Ernie Els threatened to buck Father Time.

Sharma (70) swung between birdies and bogeys while Bhullar (69) flattered but just could not make the big push with 2-under and 3-under cards for the day. Going into Sunday’s final round, Shubhankar had moved up eight spots while Bhullar had gained 18 places to be tied 38^th on 6-under par 210s.

DeChambeau sank five birdies in his last 10 holes for a card of 4-under 68 and the sole lead at 16-under 200 to close in on a maiden overseas win, while Ernie ‘The Big Easy’ Els was three shots behind in shared third alongside 2018 Hero Indian Open winner Matt Wallace on 13-under 203s.

Still in the race

Defending champion Li Haotong attempting to become only the second back-to-back winner at the Desert Classic after Scotsman Stephen Gallacher in 2014, shot a third straight 67 to get to 15-under with a birdie-birdie finish, one behind the leader.

Though both Indians shot their third straight sub-par round of the week, both felt they could have had a better day. Said Shubhankar later, “It was a frustrating day. Going into the water and giving away hard-earned birdies was really painful.”

Added Bhullar, “I should be scoring better on the par-5s and lately I have done on par-3s, too. So the two together should fetch me decent totals, but they have not. Hopefully another day tomorrow and then next week in Saudi Arabia, I need to get in something good.”

Behind the top four is a tight bunch at 12-under including Alvaro Quiros of Spain, a past winner here, but now ranked 418^th in the world. Three more are at 11-under and seven others are 10-under, including 2017 European Tour no. 1 Tommy Fleetwood (68) and 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia (70).

The Big Easy lurks

The surprise of the week was the veteran of 16 Desert Classics, Els, an Asian Tour honorary member, who is out to extend his record of three Desert Classic titles to four. Also, a Top-10 will get him his 300^th top-10 finish in close to 800 professional starts.

Elas has struggled to compete during recent years in Dubai, but has top-ten finishes in his first 11 appearances at the event – including three victories, three times as runners-up and three third places.

“I like this place, as you know,” Els said on Friday on europeantour.com. “I’ve had some really great times here. I’m swinging well, my body feels well. I’m just happy with the first two days.

“I see the scoring is really good. I see the scoring slowing down a little bit over the weekend in the afternoons.

“The greens were getting a little firmer, faster, but if you get it in the fairway, give yourself second-shot opportunities and the putter has been working, so it’s been fun.

“It’s great coming back, especially later in your career now. I meet up with friends I’ve met from 25-26 years ago, and in certain ways things don’t change, but in many ways it does.

“It’s just great to come back to Dubai and seeing the changes that have gone on here in the last quarter century. It’s been amazing. I’m running out of time but enjoying it.”

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