By Rahul Banerji
Shubhankar Sharma brought in his second top-five finish on the European Tour in the last three months with shared second at the 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on Sunday.
Sharma and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello were one shot shy of winner Thomas Pieters of Belgium at the Yas Links with rounds of 1-under 71 and 2-under 70 respectively.
At one point the big-hitting Pieters was three ahead of the chasing pack before Cabrera Bello caught him just after the turn but could no press home the advantage.
For his part, Sharma will rue the double-bogeyed third hole and further dropped shots on eight and 17 that stalled his push for a first win DP World Tour since the 2018 Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur.
Sharma, who played the Tata Steel Tour Championship in Jamshedpur in December and the Singapore International last week to hone his challenge turned in 1-over 37 with two birdies against three dropped shots.
The two-time European Tour winner balanced the double-bogey with birdie on the par-five second and a 30-footer on five before three-putting the eighth.
Challenge halted
Birdies on 10 and 14 with long putts saw him close on in Pieters, who became the first Belgian to win a Rolex Series title on Sunday, but a further bogey on 17 halted the rally.
A closing birdie sealed second place for the 25-year-old who picked up a solid haul of points and heads into his next event, the Dubai Desert Classic later this week, in a good frame of mind.
Pieters at one point led by three shots on the front nine and played steady golf to hold off his chasers who included Victor Dubuisson of France and Norwegian star Viktor Hovland.
“Winning a Rolex Series, it’s as good as it gets in Europe,” Pieters said on europeantour,com.
“I feel like I’ve turned the corner and I’m playing really good golf. I’m really in control of my ball flight and it’s nice to feel like that and making putts as well.
“My putting has improved massively and I felt like that’s the thing that really kept me going on the weekend.”
Hovland bounced back from a triple-bogey on three to get within one of the lead but a double on the 15th scuppered his chances.
Also read: Sharma, Bhullar reflect on Jamshedpur times on Tour C’ship eve
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