Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar are set to compete in a challenging Olympic golf field, driven by the prestige of representing India and the quest for a top-three finish.
Paris: Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar compete week in and week out for PGA’s Order of Merit, points and money needed to survive in a niche sport like golf but on a Thursday, when they tee off at the Le Golf National for their debut Olympic round, the only numbers that will matter are 1, 2 and 3.
The duo are India’s finest on men’s tour but in a 60-strong field with likes of multiple Major winner world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, world No. 2 Rory McIlroy and Tokyo gold medallist Xander Schauffele vying for the yellow metal, it couldn’t have been tougher for world No. 219 Sharma and no. 261 Bhullar. All the top seven golfers in the world are taking part.
But they also know that a memorable Olympic could just make them household names which even 10 PGA tour titles won’t be able to give them. They are aware and excited.
“The Olympian tag, that stays with you forever,” Sharma said.
“To be able to represent India at the Olympics is something we all dreamt of but when I started playing golf, it was still not an Olympic sport,” said Sharma, who missed a chance to play for India at the Asian Games, which till last year allowed only amateurs.
Gaganjeet, a 2006 Asian Games medallist, is happy that father HS Bhullar, a quarter-miler, who represented India, is proud that his son is now an “Olympian”.
“For a sporting family, an Olympic representation means a lot,” said Bhullar.
While there is no cut in Olympics like it is on Tour, the field is more international in nature as not more than four can represent a country and that too if they are all in top 15. Hence a country like USA can’t have all its top golfers in field of 60.
The last player to qualify this time is Tapio Pulkkanen, who was ranked 378 on the cut-off date. Since then, he has dropped to 427. Sharma was ranked 219 and Bhullar was 261 when the qualification date ended.
Sharma has had the experience of playing at the Le National during Tour events and he considers it as a tricky one.
“I have played at the Le National before, so I know the course, but also this course plays differently at different times. It is hot now, so the ball travels longer distance and I have practised keeping that in mind. We need to keep ourselves well hydrated in this weather.”
Bhullar knows what it is to be on the podium of such a Games.
“It would be so cool to have an Olympic medal, too. It is a very strong field with all top seven of the world in the field. Yet, I think, golf is one sport, it is still possible to put four good rounds together and win.”
The Indian duo agree that it is all about Top-3 or nothing.
“On the pro Tours, a top five finish is great result but here even being tied third means nothing unless you win the play-off for the bronze. Last time in Tokyo, CT Pan took a bronze beating (Paul) Casey, (Hideki) Matsuyama and Rory (McIlroy) in the play-off for bronze. So it’s top three or nothing,” said Sharma with a laugh.
“The Olympics is indeed a prize worth dreaming about and fighting for.”
