Golf round-up: Poor end to Shubhankar’s Abu Dhabi campaign, Rashid finishes eighth in Singapore

Shubhankar Sharma endured an off day in the final round of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, finishing Tied-59th with a three-over 75 on Sunday.

Sharma began well with a birdie on the second and a series of pars but a soft bogey on Par-5 took away any chance of building up a momentum.

He dropped shots on eighth, 11th, 12th and 16th. He missed fairways, found water on a Par-3 and hit some below par iron shots to total three-under 285. After seven birdies on the third day, he was disappointed at getting just one on Sunday.

“After the eighth, I just did not get going. It was the first tournament of the year. Initially the irons did not work and when they did, I missed some other chances and had as many five three-putts in the week,” said Sharma.

“Sure, there were some positives, too. I would like to take them as I play in Dubai next week and then Saudi. I would call the week a mixed bag. A good start in these three big events is always good for the rest of the season and I will be working on some of the things in next few days.”

Meanwhile, the 46-year-old veteran and overnight leader Lee Westwood (67) finished with a two-shot win over fellow Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood (63) and Matt Fitzpatrick (67) and Frenchman Victor Perez (63).

Rashid finishes eighth in Singapore

Indian golfer Rashid Khan could not find the momentum to make a charge on the final day as he finished tied eighth in the Singapore Open on Sunday.

He dropped two shots in the first five holes but managed three birdies later on to finish one-under 71 for a total of nine-under 275. With four of the seven players ahead of him also not exempt for The Open at Royal St George’s, Rashid also missed out on making his first-ever Major.

Among India’s other players, SSP Chawrasia (71) was T-32nd, Rahil Gangjee (71) was T-37th, Khalin Joshi (72) was T-48th and Shiv Kapur (73) was T-63rd.

The day belonged to American Matt Kuchar, who started the day with a three shot lead, ended with the way lead, over Justin Rose (67).

Thai Jazz Janewattananond (71), lying second behind Kuchar overnight, was presented an unexpected chance on the seventh hole after the leader had extended his lead to four with a birdie on fourth.

Then, Kuchar’s tee shot on the par-five seventh came up against the root of a tree. His first attempt to punch the ball out missed the ball. Then his shot flew left of the green, hit a cart path and went out of bounds.

After hitting his sixth shot to the front of the green, Kuchar managed to hole a crucial putt from 10-feet for a triple-bogey eight. Jazz birdied for a four-shot swing and both players were now 15-under.

Kuchar picked up the pieces on thee back nine with three birdies as Jazz dropped shots on 12th and 13th. The birdie on 18th came late and he ended third.

In between, Justin Rose, despite three bogeys on front nine, found seven other birdies for a 67 to finish second at 15-under.

Behind the top three, already exempt for the Open, there was an intense fight for the four spots for the last Major of 2020.

Korean teen Kim Joohyung (71) held his nerves to finish fourth and pick up the first spot, while Richard Lee (72) grabbed two birdies in last four holes to finish fifth and take the second.

Thai Poom Saksansin (65) played brilliantly to take another one while Japan’s Ryosuke Kinoshita (67) finished birdie-birdie to snatch the last spot.

Indonesia’s Danny Masrin (68) birdied the 18th, as did Filipino Miguel Tabuena (76), who had nightmarish final round, and Rashid Khan, who needed to birdie last three holes to get into a play-off with Poom and Kinoshita, managed just one. Masrin, Rashid and Tabuena finished tied-eighth.