Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar will represent India in the men’s golf competition at the Paris Olympic Games this August, it was confirmed on the basis of the final men’s Olympic Golf Ranking list published on Tuesday where they were placed 48th and 54th respectively. The OGR is based on the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) where Sharma (219) and Bhullar (261) are currently the top two Indians.
Both Arjuna awardees will be making their first appearance at the Olympics, the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) said in a statement. The Indian women’s team of Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar is expected to be confirmed in the next few days.
Two-time Olympian Anirban Lahiri, now playing as part of the LIV Golf League that currently does not qualify for OWGR points made a late bid to climb the rankings but fell short. Playing alongside Lahiri at the Rio Games was Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia while Udayan Mane was his team mate at the most recent Tokyo Olympics.
The men’s golf event in Paris will feature 60 players whose names were released by the International Golf Federation on Tuesday, and will be played at the Le Golf National from August 1 to 4.
Sharma, 27, is a two-time DP World (European) Tour winner, a former Asian Tour Order of Merit champion and a winner of the DP World Tour’s Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award in 2018. He has made six major appearances so far and registered the best finish by an Indian at The Open last year when he secured tied eighth place.
The youngest Indian title winner on the DP World Tour at age 21, Sharma has been ranked as high as 64 in the world and this year, has one top-1o finish on the DP World Tour. “It’s a privilege and honour to represent India at the Olympics,” he said on receiving the news.
“It’s a dream come true. I have been preparing for this day for a while now, and am planning my schedule on the DP World Tour, accordingly. We have a very good and experienced team in Gaganjeet, Aditi, Diksha and myself. We have depth and experience behind us. All are playing solid golf at the moment, on our respective tours too, and that’s a good sign.
“If Olympic week turns our way, any medal is possible for both Men and Women’s Teams. Personally speaking, my game is trending in the right direction and I am keyed up to deliver.”
Added Bhullar, 36, and the winner of 12 international titles including one on the DP World Tour, “I’m honoured to have the opportunity to represent India at the Olympics. Coming from a family of sportspersons who have also represented India in other sports and attach great value to the Olympics as the pinnacle of sport, it’s a special moment for me to have earned the privilege of being an Olympian.
“I was determined to make it to the Olympics after missing out narrowly on the last two occasions so I’m delighted to have finally achieved this major milestone in my career. The game is in good shape and I’m really looking forward to teaming up with a great talent like Shubhankar with whom I have played a lot of golf in the past.
“I’m familiar with Le Golf National, the Olympic venue, as I’ve played there three times in the past. It’s a tough track. I’ll be heading to Paris next week to practice at the Olympic venue for a week in order to acclimatise to the conditions as part of my preparation.”
Bhullar’s 11 wins on the Asian Tour are an Indian record. He was once ranked 85th in the world, has previously represented India at the World Cup of Golf in 2013 and 2018 and was part of the Indian team that won the silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games. His only Major appearance came at The Open in 2009 when he became the youngest Indian to play a Major at 21 years and two months of age. In the last one year, he has bagged three titles, one on the Asian Tour and two on the PGTI.
The domestic tour’s chief executive U.S. Mundy said of the news, “We at the PGTI extend our heartiest congratulations to Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar on qualifying to represent India at the Paris Olympics 2024.
“Both Shubhankar and Gaganjeet, who began their golfing journeys on the PGTI, have been great global ambassadors for Indian golf over the years thanks to their exceptional performances around the world and their conduct on and off the course. We’re confident that both these seasoned professionals will make for a formidable combination and present a strong Indian challenge at the Olympics. We wish Shubhankar and Gaganjeet all the best.”
The men’s qualification system for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games commenced on June 13, 2022 and concluded on Monday, June 17. The top 15 world-ranked players are eligible for the Olympics, with a limit of four players from a single country. After the top 15, players are eligible based on the world rankings, with a maximum of two eligible players from each nation.
The United States will have the maximum of four and the continent-wise distribution of the Olympic qualifiers is 13 from seven countries in Asia, two from one African nation, 24 from 14 countries in Europe, four from two countries in the Australia/Oceania region, eight from three North American countries, and eight from five South American nations, making for a total of 60 players representing 32 nationalities.
