Paris 2024 Olympics: Shubhankar Sharma finishes T40 for India’s best finish in men’s golf

India’s Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar finished T40 and T45, respectively, at the end of the men’s golf event at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Sunday.

Sharma, a former Asia No. 1, was T25 after the second round on Friday. He moved down nine places to T34 after a 1-over 72 on Saturday and the same score on Sunday saw him settle at T40 with a final score of 1-under 283.

However, Sharma managed to log India’s best-ever men’s golf result in the Olympics. India’s previous best result in the men’s golf at the Olympics was T42 achieved by Anirban Lahiri at Tokyo 2020.

Gaganjeet Bhullar began his campaign at Le Golf National with a T56 on the opening day but climbed up 11 places over the next three days to finish on T45 with a score of 1-over 285.

Both Indian golfers were making their Olympic debuts at Paris 2024.

The USA’s Scottie Scheffler won the gold medal with a final score of 19-under 265. The world No. 1 men’s golfer finished one shot ahead of Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood, who took silver.

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who missed out on a medal at Tokyo 2020 with a T4 finish, claimed the bronze with a final score of 17-under 267.

Tokyo 2020 champion Xander Schauffele of the USA was leading the field after three rounds but slipped down eight places on the final day after scoring 2-over 73. He ended with the final score of 12-under 272 and finished T9.

Indian women golfers Diksha Dagar and Aditi Ashok will tee off at the same venue from August 7. Aditi Ashok, an Asian Games silver medallist, narrowly missed a medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, finishing fourth.

Golf featured in the Olympic program in 1900 and 1904 but was dropped from the itinerary after that. The sport made a return at Rio 2016 and has been part of the Olympics since.