Sharma takes T5 at Italian Open behind DLF hero Marcel Siem

File photo of Shubhankar Sharma who was tied for fifth place at the Italian Open in Ravenna on Sunday. Image courtesy PGTI.

By Rahul Banerji

Paris Olympics-bound Shubhankar Sharma finished in a share of fifth place in the Italian Open presented by Regione Emilia-Romagna in Ravenna after starting in the lead on Sunday.

Fondly remembered by Indian fans at the Hero Indian Open two years ago, Marcel Siem turned in a spirited display to win his sixth title at the Adriatic Golf Club Cervia, outlasting Tom McKibbin of Northern Ireland in a playoff after they tied at 10 under par 274.

Germany’s Siem, who underwent hip surgery in February and was playing just his fourth event since, needed all his resilience and experience to overcome a mid-round blip and haul in McKibbin who had set the clubhouse target earlier.

Joint overnight leader Sharma had cards of 68, 68 and 67 till Saturday but three bogeys and a double dented his chances in the final round. Bulk of the damage came on the back nine.

The result though, lifted hm to 60^th place in the Race to Dubai season’s standings up from 76^th at the start of the week.

Tied fifth alongside Shubhankar on 8 under par 276 were Frenchman Antoine Rozner, Spain’s Adri Arnaus, James Nicholas of the US and Italian Andrea Pavan.

At the top, Siem led McKibbin by three shots before the turn but four dropped shots saw him fall into the clutches of the Northern Irishman who had earlier returned a bogey-free 6 under 65.

Siem however managed to claw back with an 18^th hole birdie that took the event into extra holes and he converted his first birdie opportunity while McKibbin missed.

The result gave McKibbin a slot at The Open later this month with Siem already exempt for the season’s final major.

europeantour.com adds: Siem won his first DP World Tour title over 20 years ago and when he won his fourth en route to finishing seventh on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex in 2014, he had the world at his feet.

But he lost his card for the 2021 season and went to the European Challenge Tour, where he would play 13 weeks in a row, ending with a victory at the La Vaudreuil Golf Challenge that earned him a place at The Open.

Hard yards

He would lose his card again in 2022 but won it straight back at the Qualifying School and in 2023 claimed an emotional first DP World Tour win in over eight years at the Hero Indian Open.

He has again overcome adversity in more ways than one this week and the 43-year-old admits it is a career highlight.

“Holing that putt on 18 was one the coolest moments in golf for me and doing it again in a play-off was fantastic,” he said.

“I love this sport and these moments, I work really hard for them. When you get rewarded like this, it’s a very special moment.

“I think it’s the second oldest trophy on mainland Europe. So I’ve got the French Open and this one now, I’m so proud of that. My journey is just beginning, it feels like.

“My big goal is to get in the Ryder Cup once. I’ve never played the Ryder Cup or the Masters.

“These are the two big goals for me and whatever happens on the way there, I’ll take it and keep working even harder. I’m just loving it. I love my life at the moment. It’s great.”

Also read: Shubhankar in a four-way tie atop Italian Open after Moving Day