Olympics 2024 | Shubhankar, Gaganjeet's challenge begins in a star-studded field

Golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar were seen sporting their biggest smiles while waving the flag with pride along with other athletes of the Indian contingent during the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on river Seine. 

For the duo, and the golfing community in the country, such an experience was new and rare as the sport largely lives on an island of its own, owing to its self-regulated competition calendar. Hence, the sight of two of these composed Indian golfers expressing their enthusiastic selves made for an endearing moment. 

Come Thursday, both these first-time Olympians will hope to be spurred by this ‘unique’ feeling of playing for the flag to make a mark in the men’s golf event at the Le Golf National in the town of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines - 41 kms from the Games Village. 

“Representing the county at the Olympics was always one of my childhood dreams. Coming from a family of sportspersons means that this will always have a special place in my heart,” Gaganjeet told DH. 

The Arjuna awardee from Kapurthala, who won his 11the Asian Tour title late last year, does have some prior experience of playing such a quadrennial event as he was part of the silver medal-winning men’s golf team (with Anirban Lahiri, Chirag Kumar and Joseph Chakola) at the 2006 Doha Asian Games as an amateur. 

As for Shubhankar, the younger of the two who has also played the Asian Games, will tee-off here riding on the confidence of finishing tied-19th at the British Open (fourth Major) at the Royal Troon under punishing conditions less than two weeks ago.  

Speaking about the par-71 Albatros course, playing 7,174 yards for the men’s competition, the Indians are in a field of 60 golfers which has 10 of the top 15 players including World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, 2016 gold-medallist and winner of the two Majors this year Xander Schaufflele, Rory McIlroy among other stars. 

On the first day of play, Gaganjeet is paired with familiar foes Gavin Green (Malaysia) and Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand) who are also regulars on the Asian Tour while Shubhankar is clubbed with Rafael Campos (Puerto Rico), a PGA Tour player, and Carlos Ortiz (Mexico), who now plays on LIV Golf. 

Keeping the big names and the stage aside, the Indian duo will hope to stitch together four good rounds for a shot at winning one of the three medals on a course where golf made its debut in 1900.