Winner of Hero Open at Fairmont, Grant Forrest and Shubhankar Sharma. Pic: European Tour
St. Andrews, Scotland, Aug 9: Shubhankar Sharma landed two eagles on the back nine at the Fairmont Links, St Andrews to card 5-under 67 in the final round of the Hero Open.
It was a fine week for Sharma, who had three rounds of 67 each, but his third round, which saw him drop four shots in the last three holes and that let him down. He finished at 14-under and was Tied-16th.
Sharma had three birdies on the front nine and had a roller-coaster on the back nine with two bogeys and two eagles. The T-16 was his best since the Top-10 at Made in Himmerland in May. “The game seems to be in the right place and hopefully the results will also come soon,” said Sharma.
Gaganjeet Bhullar shot his third straight round in the 60s with a 69 on Sunday and ended 8-under 280 for the week and was T-38th. SSP Chawrasia was once again struggling with 78 and finished the week in T-75th.
Meanwhile, Grant Forrest became the first Scotsman to win on home soil in nearly a decade as he triumphed at the Hero Open.
Forrest, 28, started the final round in a share of the lead with compatriot Calum Hill and the pair were close to each other on the front nine as they both made the turn in 33 shots. The turning point of the afternoon came on the tenth hole as Hill double-bogeyed the par four, with Forrest making birdie for a three-shot swing.
Forrest then birdied the 11th to move to 23 under par and he was joined on that number by Englishman James Morrison who made a late charge with a nine under par round of 63. Forrest lost the lead after a bogey on the 16th, but he recovered with a birdie on the 17th and left himself two feet for birdie – and victory – on the 18th.
Forrest tapped in the putt in front of the home fans, signing for a six under par round and a 24 under par total, also securing the first Scottish win on home soil since Paul Lawrie triumphed at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in 2012.
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