Rising Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma will hit his first competitive tee shot not at a conventional course, the Gullane Golf Club, where he plays the Scottish Open from Thursday but at the iconic Edinburgh Castle, where he features for the first time at the Hero Challenge that precedes the main event.
Shubhankar, 21, plays alongside the legendary Ryder Cup star, Ian Poulter besides Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Olympic bronze medallist Matt Kuchar, American Charley Hoffman and local man Richie Ramsay.
It is my first time at the Hero Challenge and it should be fun. Seeing the Edinburgh Castle was on my list, but hitting a tee shot there is something else. It should be fun, said Shubhankar as he prepares for the main event.
Talking about his experience of being here for the link events at Scottish Open and then The Open next week, Shubhankar said, I am feeling good. Last week, the Irish Open was my first taste of link courses. This is the second week of link courses for me and I am very excited.
It's (the Scottish Open) a great preparation for the Open Championship. That is the reason why so many players from the PGA Tour come and play these two weeks in Ireland and Scotland. Even though the set-up of the golf course is not as tough as the Open, but it just prepares you for link golf, for the hard fairways, the pot bunkers and the mounds."
Pawan Munjal, Chairman, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hero MotoCorp, added: The overwhelming success of this unique concept of golf in our debut season and last year has encouraged us to bring the 2018 edition of the Hero Challenge to the European Tour once again.
"I am glad to see the Hero Challenge playing a role in attracting a large number of new fans to golf and I am sure this will go a long way in further popularising the game among young fans.
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