The 152nd Open

Mixed Zone

Friday, 19 July 2024

Shubhankar Sharma


SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: Played really well. It was really tough out there. I left it all out there. Didn't really do anything wrong until the end. Even that bogey on 17, I actually hit a pretty good shot. The wind didn't do much, went over, hit a good chip, good putt, as well, but it lipped out.

Yeah, I played really well. It was tough, really tough. It was a proper, proper test today. I'm quite proud of myself. Hopefully it's enough. Gave it my all, and we'll see what happens.

Q. What's your gut feeling say as a player?

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: I have no idea. I've not seen anything. I've just seen that I'm 72 right now. I don't know what the wind will do, if it'll stop. I don't even know if the players playing on the cut line, where they are right now, what holes they are at. I have no energy right now to think. I'm hoping that I play tomorrow, but whatever is best will happen.

Q. What did you learn from yesterday, and what did you do better today?

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: I mean, yesterday also I played really well. Honestly, it was really tough. I think I had two bogeys at the start of the round, which were soft, because coming in it wasn't easy. It was really windy. I think our side of the draw wasn't the easiest if you see the scores, as well. Either you were playing really, really late, maybe the guys who are playing out right now, I don't know what they are at, but it's just one of those where -- I forgot what the question was. What was the question?

What did I learn from yesterday? That was the questions. There's nothing that I actually did different from yesterday. I battled yesterday also until the end. I battle today also until the end. Even yesterday I played the back nine really well, made a crucial birdie on the 18th. Today also every time there was a bogey, I came back, and it was really tough to come back in that wind. Even three-footers, the wind was affecting it, not affecting it. We played in the toughest conditions all day, our group and groups around us.

I did everything. It's a tough course. You have to play really well. Not many birdie opportunities. Yeah, it is what it is. I almost had a par round today, which I think personally would have been brilliant because I gave it all. Back nine I made some great birdies. Even the two bogeys I had on 17 and 14 were unlucky. That's all I'd say. I hit good putts that just lipped out, good shots that went over the green, but thanks links golf at the end of the day. I played well. I'm quite happy.

Q. A couple of great putts coming in for birdie.

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: Yes, yes, 15 was huge because I kind of felt like I was -- after that bogey on 14 where I did everything right to make a bogey, I was like, what am I doing, but then that birdie was amazing on 15. Great putt. Great composure on 16 to make a birdie because we were a 2-ball and we were waiting almost every hole on the back nine.

Even 17 and 18 I didn't do anything wrong. 17 was straight down off the left. I hit it just left of the flag. The wind just went straight, didn't turn at all, and Matteo hit it two yards right of the pin, perfect shot, went over the green right. So both of us had to make an up-and-down. He made one. My chip was pretty good, good putt, which lipped out.

Then 18, again, I said just give yourself a birdie chance. I hit two great shots, like you said. One bounce here and there. I think I got one of the tougher putts on that green. Anything left of that, easier putt. It was right on a ridge with wind off the right, so if you hit it too far left, the wind takes it on that ridge. If you hit it too far right, it goes.

I hit a good putt. What I saw, I hit it. It just turned more. I did my process right.

I'm still happy. I'm just happy from the fact that I could not have done anything more. There was no unforced error, if there is any such thing in golf. There was no unforced process error. It is what it is.

Q. I think the only mistake really which you made would be the three-putt bogey on the 3rd hole yesterday.

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: Yesterday, no, not really. Yesterday even the bogey on -- 2 and 3, the bogeys that I made yesterday were soft bogeys. They shouldn't happen. Even 2 was just off the green on the right, could have putted it, decided to chip it over by about 10 feet and then missed the putt. 2 and 3 were tough ones, but after that, I don't think I did anything wrong.

I obviously made a three-putt on 14, but I didn't think I hit a bad first putt, didn't think I hit a bad second putt. But that will happen. It's golf. It's not easy. Luck of the draw plays a big role.

You saw the scores of people who teed off after 3:00 yesterday. It was much calmer and easier. So a lot of things happened. It is all in the lap of God. You have to go and do your best, and whatever the nature presents you, you tackle it to the best of your capabilities, and I think I played really well.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
146563-1-1002 2024-07-19 17:52:00 GMT

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