Indian Sports Wrap, June 29: Shubhankar Sharma shines in Italian Open

Golf

Shubhankar Sharma lies tied seventh in Italian Open golf

Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma fired identical 68s in his first two rounds to be tied seventh in the Italian Open on the DP World Tour here.

The Indian star, who is headed to the Olympic Games in August, had five birdies against two bogeys in the second round.

In the first round, he had three birdies and an eagle against two bogeys.

Sharma has had a modest season with a best of T-7 in Singapore Classic as his best and was T-16 at Hero Dubai Desert Classic, one of the marquee events on the Tour.

The other Indian in the field Om Prakash Chouhan missed the cut with rounds of 72-71.

Gunner Wiebe took a one-stroke lead into the weekend after carding a second round 69 at Adriatic Golf Club.

The American started the second day in a three-way tie for the lead on seven under after his first round of 64 but had to remain patient after a level par front nine, with a bogey on the 17th, cancelling out a gain on the 15th.

He made his second birdie of the day on the first hole, his tenth, and then birdied the par four fifth to move to two under on the day.

The 35-year-old parred his final four holes to sign for a nine under par total after 36 holes, one stroke ahead of Germany’s Jannik de Bruyn, who got a last minute spot into the event.

One stroke further back on seven under are last week’s KLM Open runner-up Marcus Kinhult, Denmark’s Sebastian Friedrichsen, Adrian Otaegui of Spain and South African Brandon Stone.

Canada’s Aaron Cockerill and Sharma share the seventh spot on six under, while 14 golfers are tied for ninth place on five under par, including home favourites Edoardo Molinari and Andrea Pavan.

-PTI

Cricket

Vizag Warriors’ owner expects APL to be complete entertainment package

For Dr. Narendra Ram, an entrepreneur and chairman of LifeSpan Industries, it was a dream come true to own a cricket team in a professional league when he bought the Vizag Warriors which will take part in the Andhra Premier League starting from Sunday in the Port City of Visakhapatnam.

“Honestly, I have a deep passion for sports and more so for cricket. I feel that by owning a cricket team, I can actively contribute to the growth and popularity of cricket and provide a platform for young, talented players to shine,” Dr. Narendra said in a chat with ‘The Hindu’ on Saturday.

“Well, having captained the district under-13 team, cricket tops my priority list even as I plan to venture into other disciplines soon. I feel sports is the best platform to give back something to the society,” he said. “Cricket has taught me the importance of discipline, teamwork, and resilience. Sports have been my passion and a driving force in my life,” he added.

“We believe that the APL is a truly professional league launched with great ideas and a cause too. The fact that it attracts the cream of domestic talent in Andhra Pradesh, including those who have played for India, is proof that it has come to stay,” Dr. Narendra said.

“It’s not just about cricket, as the APL offers a complete package of entertainment, had a viewership of more than two crores last season and a huge fan base which provides a perfect platform for effective marketing, social media interaction and community involvement,” Hyderabad-based Dr. Narendra said.

“Importantly, APL happens to be the biggest platform for young talent, offering a unique opportunity for emerging players to showcase their skills on a big stage, often under the mentorship of seasoned international stars and experienced coaches,” he said.

“This exposure, we feel, is important for their development for several reasons including high-level competition, art of learning, increased visibility, professional environment to name a few,” Dr. Narendra said.

“The professionalism in picking the teams for the APL franchisees is proof of the commitment, passion and sincerity in promoting genuine talent,” he said.

“Our long-term vision is to create a holistic sports ecosystem that nurtures talent, promotes healthy lifestyles, and brings communities together through the love of sports. We aim to leave a lasting legacy that inspires future generations and elevates the standard of sports in our region and beyond,” Dr. Narendra said.

-V V SUBRAHMANYAM