Golf: India No 1 Shubhankar Sharma ahead of home event – ‘Mentally I’ve just become more relaxed’

Alongside ‘elder brother’ Anirban Lahiri, the India No. 1 will hope home advantage comes into play as he vies for a first title since European Tour title since 2018.

After a statement-making top 10 finish at the British Open (one of golf’s four Majors) last year, the Chandigarh-based 27-year-old has been on the up, and he was in the title conversations at Singapore Classic just last week before slipping to tied-seventh. (AP/File)

In form, good shape, and playing at a course he describes as his ‘second home,’ India no. 1 Shubhankar Sharma will be vying for a first DP World Tour title since 2018 at the upcoming Hero Indian Open here starting on Thursday.

“Glad that I’m in form coming into my home event. This is our fifth major. And this is my second home. DLF is where I played so much golf from 2012 to 2016, which were my first few years as a professional,” Shubhankar told reporters here on Wednesday. “I’m feeling very confident this time, feeling better than I’ve ever felt coming into the Indian Open.”

The three-time DP World Tour winner elaborated on how he has grown as a golfer and being more relaxed is allowing him to access his best game. “I think everything feels really good now. I have become a lot better in pretty much every aspect from short game to putting to my ball striking,” he said. “Mentally I’ve just become more relaxed. I think after a while and I guess that’s the difference between the top players after a certain level that they manage their time in a very good way.”

Shubhankar had once led the field of this tournament, in 2018, and he believes he has learnt plenty of lessons since then, especially on playing this course, which he has seen since its inception and noticed its evolution. He delved into what makes the course a challenge.

“The rough has grown a lot, it’s much thicker and lush around the fairways. The course is tough, the greens are deceptive, visually it looks very intimidating, and the tee shot matters. Finding the fairway is very important, getting out of the rough can be a big challenge here. You have to hit the fairway first, you can’t be missing it.”

The 27-year-old said that home advantage may, then, come into play, but not much should be made of it, especially in a strong field with 20 players in the top 200, and 41 Tour-level title winners.

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Shubhankar is the highest-ranked of the 31 Indians that will tee off on Thursday, but with Anirban Lahiri, whose ranking has plummeted since playing on the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour does not grant ranking points, will also be in the reckoning.

Like Shubhankar, 2015 Indian Open champion Lahiri qualified the home advantage that may come into play. “Definitely it’s an advantage (to play on the course regularly),” he told media on Tuesday. “But I would say the conditions this week (in a top tournament) are different to any other week on this course. So only if you have had tournament experience here, it can work in your favour because this course has its idiosyncrasies, and it can be intimidating under tournament pressure.”

Namit Kumar

Namit Kumar is a Senior Sports Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. He is known for his versatile reporting across several major sports disciplines. Professional Profile Specializations: He covers a wide variety of sports including tennis, football, cricket, and motorsports. Focus: His writing often delves into the finer details and technical analysis of the sports he covers. Social Media: You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @namitkumar_17. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Namit’s recent work focuses heavily on international cricket series and domestic tournaments, as well as high-profile global tennis events: International Cricket (India vs South Africa Series): "Intelligence, skill, and heart: How Arshdeep Singh took out Reeza Hendricks" (Dec 15, 2025) — A detailed analysis of Arshdeep's tactical comeback in the T20I series. "How India's seamers froze South Africa in chilly Dharamshala" (Dec 14, 2025). "Why India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill losing form, is the start of a blunt headache" (Dec 12, 2025) — An analytical piece on the statistics and form of India's leadership duo. "Quinton de Kock dismantles Indian bowling combination with silent savagery" (Dec 11, 2025). Domestic Cricket (Ranji Trophy): "Ranji Trophy: J&K conquer Kotla and Delhi for first time" (Nov 11, 2025) — Reporting on the historic first win for Jammu & Kashmir over Delhi in the tournament's history. "What makes J&K pacer Auqib Nabi special" (Nov 8, 2025) — A profile on the pacer's accuracy and swing. "Unearthing the next Virat Kohli still a while away but Delhi's young batting talent full of promise" (Oct 24, 2025). Tennis and Golf: "Jannik Sinner's winter-time madness: How Italian refined his game to beat Alcaraz" (Nov 17, 2025) — A deep dive into Sinner’s technical improvements following his US Open loss. "Everyone's come to watch Rory McIlroy but keep an eye out for 'people's champion' Tommy Fleetwood" (Oct 17, 2025). Football Tactics: "Why are long throw-ins giving football defenders and lawmakers a headache?" (Nov 2, 2025) — An analytical piece on the evolving strategies surrounding throw-ins in modern football. Reporting Style Namit is active in covering the Delhi sports scene, providing detailed match reports for international cricket matches and Ranji Trophy fixtures at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. He also provides on-the-ground reporting for happenings in the city, such as his recent coverage of the DP World India Championship golf event. Additionally, he actively writes on tennis, analysing matches and reporting on major events, especially during the Grand Slam tournaments. ... Read More