Joburg Open: Shubhankar Sharma clinches maiden European Tour title

Final leaderboard

-23 Shubhankar Sharma

-20 Erik van Rooyen

-17 Shaun Norris, Tapio Pulkkanen

-15 Marcus Armitage

Day five report

Shubhankar Sharma held his nerve to sign for a closing 69 and win a first European Tour title at the weather-delayed Joburg Open.

Heavy storms on Sunday forced the event at Randpark Golf Club into a fifth day, with Sharma holding a four-shot lead with his ball on the eighth green when the hooter sounded.

The Indian returned early on Monday morning to make his par and he birdied the next before finishing with nine pars to finish at 23 under, three shots clear of South African Erik van Rooyen, a 66/1 pre-tournament selection from our golf expert Ben Coley.

A place at next year's Open Championship was up for grabs for the top three players in the field not already exempt and South Africa's Shaun Norris grabbed his spot at Carnoustie due to his higher world ranking after finishing alongside Finn Tapio Pulkkanen at 17 under.

Sharma has five wins on the Professional Golf Tour of India but this is the 21-year-old's first victory on a major circuit after eight top-10s on the Asian Tour.

"It feels absolutely wonderful to have won this week," he said at the trophy presentation. "I actually wasn't going to come here about a week ago and I decided to come so I'm really happy that I came. This is my first time in South Africa and I don't think I'm ever going forget my first time in South Africa.

"I hit the ball good and I putted really well but the key up-and-downs I made over the first three days, I think I only missed two up-and-downs over the whole week. Even today, the up-and-downs I made on the 10th, the 13th and the 15th were very crucial.

"Once in a while you just have to make a few par saves to get a round going and I did just that the whole week."

Van Rooyen was left with a tap-in on the ninth when he resumed his round and while he also birdied the 12th, he could not make any further progress as he signed for a 66.

England's Marcus Armitage was the leading British performer at 15 under, two shots clear of compatriot James Morrison and three ahead of another Englishman in Charlie Ford.

Collated final scores

(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 72):

264 Shubhankar Sharma (Ind) 69 61 65 69

267 Erik Van Rooyen (Rsa) 64 67 70 66

270 Tapio Pulkkanen (Fin) 65 64 73 68, Shaun Norris (Rsa) 69 68 68 65

272 Marcus Armitage 69 66 67 70

274 Joachim B. Hansen (Den) 66 67 71 70, James Morrison 64 70 67 73

275 Christofer Blomstrand (Swe) 70 68 62 75, Charlie Ford 70 64 71 70, Daniel Greene (Rsa) 70 68 67 70, Jin-ho Choi (Kor) 69 66 70 70, Paul Peterson (USA) 70 67 69 69

276 Oliver Bekker (Rsa) 66 70 68 72, Hennie Otto (Rsa) 70 68 67 71, Hennie Du Plessis (Rsa) 71 67 68 70, Victor Perez (Fra) 73 66 69 68, Mikko Korhonen (Fin) 66 65 75 70, Ross McGowan 66 72 66 72

277 Steven Brown 68 65 71 73, Dean Burmester (Rsa) 66 73 68 70, Jaco Ahlers (Rsa) 67 68 72 70, Matthew Baldwin 64 74 71 68, Gavin Green (Mal) 70 67 70 70, Mark Foster 71 68 68 70, Aaron Rai 69 67 71 70, Vaughn Groenewald (Rsa) 71 66 71 69

278 JC Ritchie (Rsa) 71 67 69 71, Jeff Winther (Den) 70 66 75 67, Jake Higginbottom (Aus) 70 69 70 69

279 Matt Wallace 73 65 67 74, Jens Fahrbring (Swe) 72 67 71 69, Daniel Brooks 66 67 77 69, Nathan Kimsey 65 71 70 73, Richard McEvoy 66 69 72 72, George Coetzee (Rsa) 68 67 72 72, Ockie Strydom (Rsa) 64 73 74 68, Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor) 73 66 72 68, MJ Viljoen (Rsa) 68 67 74 70, Marco Iten (Chi) 71 67 73 68, Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Rsa) 69 69 66 75, Scott Vincent (Zim) 71 68 71 69

280 Oscar Serna (Mex) 72 67 70 71, Tyrone Ryan (Rsa) 67 72 69 72, Andrea Pavan (Ita) 66 73 71 70, Adrian Meronk (Pol) 65 72 74 69, Robert Macintyre 72 67 71 70, Stuart Manley 68 69 72 71, Dylan Frittelli (Rsa) 70 69 71 70

281 Kristian Krogh Johannessen (Nor) 70 65 70 76, Haydn Porteous (Rsa) 69 70 66 76, Pep Angles (Spa) 69 70 70 72, Jaco Prinsloo (Rsa) 67 69 74 71, Chris Cannon 67 70 70 74, Jens Dantorp (Swe) 72 67 68 74, Oliver Farr 69 67 73 72, Jacques Kruyswijk (Rsa) 70 69 73 69

282 Adrien Saddier (Fra) 69 65 73 75, Sebastian Heisele (Ger) 64 71 74 73, JJ Senekal (Rsa) 71 68 70 73, Jean Hugo (Rsa) 68 68 71 75

283 Tirawat Kaewsiribandit (Tha) 73 65 75 70, Rourke Van Der Spuy (Rsa) 70 69 70 74

284 Adri Arnaus (Spa) 69 70 72 73, Tjaart Van Der Walt (Rsa) 73 63 76 72, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 68 70 75 71, Lionel Weber (Fra) 68 71 71 74

285 Keenan Davidse (Rsa) 63 74 73 75, Andrew Curlewis (Rsa) 73 66 73 73

286 Oliver Lindell (Fin) 66 72 73 75, Stephen Ferreira (Por) 67 71 73 75, Sam Chien (USA) 71 68 74 73

287 Andre Nel (Rsa) 71 67 75 74, Garrick Porteous 68 70 71 78, Carlos Pigem (Spa) 67 71 72 77

288 Cody Martin (USA) 71 68 74 75

Day four report

Shubhankar Sharma held a four-shot lead when play was abandoned due to heavy rain at the Joburg Open, which will conclude on Monday.

The Indian, seeking his first top-tier title at the age of 21, exuded control over the seven-and-a-half holes he played on Sunday, making two birdies and five pars before finding the heart of the green at the par-three eighth.

"I'm going to treat it like another day," Sharma told europeantour.com. "I'm going to do the same things which I've been doing the last four days.

"It is not frustrating but you get into a groove when you start and you don't want to come off. I saw the clouds coming on the seventh hole and I was praying we could finish but we can't help it. I'm playing well so I want to continue doing that."

Play was suspended shortly before Sharma lined up a mid-range birdie putt, firstly due to the threat of thunderstorms before they arrived to saturate the Firethorn Course.

Despite reaching 22-under, his overnight advantage has been reduced by a shot by local hope Erik van Rooyen, selected pre-tournament by golf tipster Ben Coley at 66/1.

Van Rooyen made four birdies over the opening eight holes and will return to the course on Monday with no more than four feet for another at the ninth, which would see him close to within three of Sharma.

It seems certain one of the two will win, as Tapio Pulkkanen and James Morrison share third, eight shots off Sharma's lead. Sky Bet offer 2/7 Sharma and 11/4 van Rooyen.

Christofer Blomstrand, who started the final round alone in second, made bogeys at the fifth and seventh holes to fall into a share of fifth with Marcus Armitage and Shaun Norris.

Meanwhile, Malaysia's Gavin Green is on course to wrap up the Asian Tour Order of Merit with a week to spare. The youngster shares 15th and has around six strokes in hand of the position he needs to reach to cross the line.

Play will resume at 0530 GMT on Monday morning, 0730 local time.

Day three report

Shubhankar Sharma fired a brilliant bogey-free 65 to open up a five-shot lead heading into the final round of the Joburg Open at Randpark Golf Club.

The Indian entered the day a shot behind overnight leader Tapio Pulkkanen but as the Finn slipped to a 73, Sharma made it 37 holes without a bogey to get to 20 under and lead the way from Christofer Blomstrand.

The Swede - celebrating his 26th birthday - got to 11 under for the day after 14 holes to raise hopes of an historic 59 but came home in one over par for a 62.

Sharma has five wins on the Professional Golf Tour of India but has never won on a major circuit and may never have a better chance, with a softened Firethorn Course and preferred lies offering ample scoring opportunities in Johannesburg.

He's Sky Bet's 4/11 favourite to convert while they make him 11/2 to win by five or more shots.

"I'm really happy," the 21-year-old, who made birdies on the second, third, fourth, fifth, ninth, 14th and 15th, told europeantour.com. "I wanted to play even though I shot a 10 under yesterday and it is always difficult to follow up on a low round. I'm really proud of the way I played today.

"I'm very pleased that I came to the Joburg Open. I had my visa but it has been a very long season so I was contemplating if I wanted to come here. I'm really happy that I did!

"I want to stay within myself and play against my course. I have a good lead but you saw some low scores today. Anyone can shoot a seven or eight under par. I need to stay calm and hit the right shots."

The top-three finishers not already exempt this week will earn a spot in the field for nest year's Open at Carnoustie so it was all to play for in the chasing pack.

England James Morrison was 14 under alongside South Africa's Erik van Rooyen, with Pulkkanen alongside another Englishman in Marcus Armitage at 13 under.

Van Rooyen was selected by in-form golf expert Ben Coley at 66/1 with seven places on offer. He's 10/1 co-second-favourite to win.

Steven Brown and Ross McGowan were then in the group at 11 under, a shot clear of Charlie Ford and Matt Wallace.

Day two report

Tapio Pulkkanen carded a bogey-free 64 to take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the Joburg Open and is 5/1 joint-favourite at Sky Bet to go on to and lift the trophy.

The Finn is playing his first full season on the European Tour after winning the 2017 Challenge Tour but looked very much at home in Johannesburg as he got to 14 under and established a narrow advantage over India's Shubhankar Sharma.

As well as playing for the trophy this week, there are three places on offer at the 2018 Open, with the top three players not already exempt earning a place at Carnoustie.

Pulkkanen opened with a 65 on the Bushwillow Course and started his round on the Firethorn Course with six birdies before adding two more on the 11th and 12th.

"I'm really happy with my game," Pulkkanen told europeantour.com. "I've been driving the ball really well, especially today, it's a fantastic feeling.

"It was a good start to my round with six birdies in a row. The putter has been really hot, I practised my aiming a little before the tournament and it's been much better this week.

"Leading a European Tour event so early on in my season sounds more magnificent than it really is. It's a similar feeling to the Challenge Tour actually, so I'm comfortable."

Sharma fired an excellent 61 on the Bushwillow Course to get to 13 under, a shot ahead of Finland's Mikko Korhonen (6/1) and South African Erik van Rooyen (5/1).

England's Daniel Brooks and Steven Brown were in the group at 10 under, a shot ahead of countrymen Charlie Ford and James Morrison.

The field will now all play the Firethorn Course over the weekend.

Day one report

South African Keenan Davidse overcame illness to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Joburg Open but remains 50/1 to win the tournament with Sky Bet.

The local favourite missed the cut in Mauritius last week as a flu virus ran through his family, and checked himself into hospital for four days before teeing it up at Randpark Golf Club in Johannesburg.

The 28-year-old showed no ill effects as he got round the Bushwillows Course in an eight-under-par 63 to lead the way from English duo Matthew Baldwin and James Morrison, South African trio Jared Harvey, Ockie Strydom and Erik van Rooyen, and German Sebastian Heisele.

A field of 240 were split over the Bushwillows and Firethorn courses, with all players playing the longer Firethorn over the weekend after the cut.

Davidse took advantage of his round on the shorter layout, birdieing the first, fourth, fifth, eighth, 11th, 12th, 14th, 17th and 18th with a single bogey on the sixth.

"When I played the Sunshine Tour event at Simola my little boy was sick with a bad chest," he told europeantour.com. "Then my wife had flu and then I got flu and lost a lot of weight. I couldn't deal with that and the heat in Mauritius so I checked myself into hospital for four days.

"I didn't really have any expectations coming into the week. I'm just out here to have fun, so I'm very blessed to be playing well. It's always nice leading a big tournament and especially the Joburg Open."

Baldwin had to come through the European Tour Qualifying School in November after losing his playing privileges and he carded eagles on the par-five first and 12th to go with four birdies and a bogey, with Morrison bogey-free in his round of 64.

Morrison said he "played very well from start to finish" while for Baldwin, it's a case of "keep doing what I'm doing" as he tackles the tougher Firethorn Course on Friday. Best of those to play it on day one were Oliver Bekker, Mikko Korhonen, Dean Burmester, Joachim B. Hansen, Richard McEvoy and Oliver Lindell, who all shot six-under 65s.

Burmester is favourite after round one at 6/1, with our selections van Rooyen and Haydn Porteous sharing third in the market at 14s.

English pair Nathan Kimsey and Richard McEvoy were also at six-under, a shot ahead of countrymen Daniel Brooks and Ross McGowan.

Related links

• Sky Bet's latest Joburg Open odds