Akshay Sharma (centre) receives his trophy and cheque from Synchrony Financial’s senior VP and India head Rachana Bahadur who is also DP World PGTI advisor, and Varghese M. Thomas of DP World (second from left). Image courtesy DP World PGTI
By Rahul Banerji
Akshay Sharma became the season’s eighth winner in as many events with the DP World Players Championship title at the Classic Golf & Country Club near Manesar on Friday.
The 35-year-old from Chandigarh returned a bogey-free 8 under par 64 to win his third title by a one-shot margin at 19 under 269 from overnight leader Dhruv Sheoran, the DP World PGTI said.
The result earned Sharma (70-65-70-64) Rs 15 lakh and lifted him to fifth on the Order of Merit with season earnings of Rs 37,12,575.
It was his first title in over five years since the last one at Panchkula Golf Club in November 2020 and capped a series of consistent performances.
Gurgaon’s Sheoran (69-66-66-69) finished on 18 under 270 after starting the final round with a three-shot advantage.
Sharma began the day four shots behind in tied third but battled his way into contention with a flawless run that featured eight birdies.
Steady climb
He steadily built momentum and moved into the lead by the turn, before sealing the win with back-to-back birdies on the closing two holes.
Sheoran struggled to maintain his advantage early in the round, playing his front nine at even par with two bogeys and two birdies.
Sharma overtook him by the 10th hole and extended his lead with further gains.
Sheoran staged a late fightback with an eagle on the par-5 14th and birdie on 16 to close the gap to one shot with two holes remaining.
However, Sharma’s strong finish left Sheoran needing an eagle on the final hole to force a playoff. He managed a birdie to settle for second place.
The finish earned Sheoran Rs 10 lakh and took him from 13th to eighth on the Order of Merit with total earnings of Rs 28,74,583.
Reflecting on his round, Sharma said, “I’ve been working hard and had a lot of consistent finishes recently, so it feels great to finally get the win.
“My focus today was simple — hit fairways and greens and stay patient.
Well paced
“I started well and built momentum around the turn with a long birdie putt on the 10th.
“From there, I felt in control and kept giving myself chances. I knew I needed a strong finish, and the birdies on the last two holes made the difference.”
Sharma also acknowledged the support system behind his comeback.
“This win after a long gap means a lot. I’m grateful to my sponsors and everyone who has supported me through this phase.
“Jeev Milkha Singh has been a huge inspiration and my hero. I thought of him while making that crucial soft putt on the 17th because that is how he putts,” he said.
Jamal Hossain (67-70-68-69), co-leader after round one, was third on 14 under 274 after a 69 on the final day.
Karnal’s Mani Ram (69-68-70-68) took fourth place at 13 under 275 with another steady round.
DP World PGTI Order of Merit leader Saptak Talwar, a winner earlier this season, finished T13 on 7 under 281 to take his season earnings to Rs 79,03,067 and extend his lead in the merit list by over Rs 14 lakh.
Also read: Sheoran extends his advantage on Moving Day at DPW Players
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