DP WORLD INDIA CHAMPIONSHIP

October 13, 2026

Shubhankar Sharma

Delhi GC

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Let's get back to work again. So after Anirban Lahiri, two-time DP World Tour India Championship winner, we have another two-time DP World Tour winner, Shubhankar Sharma coming off a fantastic win last week on the Indian Tour. His last two appearances in India have been Ws, wins, and here he is hoping for another one.

Welcome, Shubhankar, to the second edition of the DP World India Championships, 2026. Any great memories from last year? How do you look at it this year?

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: Thank you, Swamy, sir. Very excited to be back. Delhi Golf Club is very iconic for a number of reasons. Personally for me, I grew up not in Delhi, but I played so many junior events here. And also watched so many DP World Tour, at that time it was the European Tour. So many events that were conducted here. So guys like Ernie Els come and play.

Personally for me, I always wanted to play a big event here and have the chance to win on the 18th hole. Just to have that chance every year coming back is very special. Last year I had the second round was incredible for me. I was getting the momentum I needed. Third, fourth day wasn't the best.

That was definitely the highlight and I just want to remember that feeling of the second day. Four days of that should take care of everything.

THE MODERATOR: Last thing, when you come here and play here, how much does familiarity and playing at home in such a huge event, a big event, $4 million, more than half a dozen major winners, when you were a kid part of the clinic conducted by Ernie Els in 2008 if I'm not wrong, did you ever envisage a situation where you would have the world's best and you would be playing against them at home?

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: I never thought we could have an event of this stature in India, especially with the players that have come last year and now this year. It's even bigger. We saw Asian Tour, European Tour events in India, but an event of this statute, I never thought it was going to happen.

And when it was announced last year there was so much buzz that it was going to be here. All thanks to the DP World Tour for making it happen.

An event like this goes a long way for golf in India. I mean, for us professionals to play definitely is very special and to compete with the best in the world, but also for kids just to see the best coming to India. This is where dreams are formed, and this is where -- like you said, I remember when it was 2008. I was what, 12 years old and I saw Ernie come and I still remember that moment vividly on the old range here.

So for all the kids it's very exciting. This is going to be the next generation of golfers for India and I'm happy they can witness great players like Rory who also is here, but not only Rory, Aaron for example. Indian heritage; won a major this year. Ryan Fox, Justin Rose, the list goes on and on. Really excited and proud we have such an event in India.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I have a couple of questions for you. You said you would say this in the press conference when I asked you about it. What was that cryptic post after missing the cut at Alfred Dunhill Championship that you put that the arrow that is pulled back the most travels the farthest. What made you put up that post? Because it was almost Nostradamus like. You came and in won and India after that. What made you put that up and what is kind of struggle that you've gone through the last two years if you can tell us?

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: Yes, actually that post, one of my friends sent to me and I was traveling back from Scotland. It really resonated with me at that time. Didn't have the best of seasons, and I felt like even the last year and this year as well, every time I felt good, I have done the right things, I've not gotten the result for whatever reason.

I mean, this is sport. Anything is possible, but I felt like I was being pushed back a lot. On Sunday when one of my friends shared it it felt very apt, and it was motivating for me also to post it and throw it in the universe that everything is fine.

I got the win last week, which was great. I'm hoping I can have the same mentality and vibes this week as well.

Q. And people might say that it's an event on PGTI, DP World Tour, but a win is a win is what we always say. Can you just describe what this has done for you, the victory?

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: Yes, yes. My main goal of playing last week was to gain some momentum coming into this week. I wasn't thinking about winning. I wasn't thinking about anything. Just thinking about coming back, meeting all my friends, spending time with (indiscernible), especially called him for that week and figuring out what the problem was with the game. It was just fundamentals, just the basics which we had to figure out and we did that. That was my biggest victory.

Obviously winning the tournament was incredible, but to see that work that I'm putting in is now showing some result was the happiest thing for me during the week, which wasn't happening throughout the year.

I felt like I was putting in the work from Monday to Wednesday week after week and then just ending up doing laundry on Saturday. So this week was better that way, that the work showed results. I was quite happy about that.

Q. You must be having a pretty clean set of clothes for a long time.

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: This year, yes, lots of laundry.

Q. Like you said, you have been working hard on your game over the past couple seasons. Would you throw some light on that? What has gone on behind the scenes? Is it in the gym? With your technique? With your swing?

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: It has been a mixture of a lot of things. Last year I went into a mode of changing clubs and trying to figure out what works best for me. That kind of backfired because I didn't find what I needed, and I remember last year at this time I was saying the same thing.

Now the start of this year I thought I'd found the right thing and I put in a lot of the work. Again, on the DP World Tour that's why it's one of the toughest tours in the world, that we play different conditions. It's one condition. We are going to different continents. Weather changes. Grass changes. So I couldn't find something consistent throughout and that was really putting me off. That has been the biggest problem.

The solution has been now just going back to the basics of finding clubs first of all, which I did in the middle of the year. I went back to old clubs with some minor adjustments, like strengthening the shaft. But then after that it was just going back to old feels and unlearning the things that I picked up, bad habits that I picked up while changing clubs.

So it was a lot of gym work, yes, but mostly work on technique on the range and on the courses and seeing how the club behaves in conditions where I have played well before in Europe but I wasn't able to produce the same shots. So just feeling again and again and understanding.

I think there is still more left. I still have things to do where I want to be able to hit the ball the way I can and I know I can and have done in the past.

That's an ongoing process. For now I'm happy.

For the conditions of the course this week, very similar to last week. I think I have the equipment and the mindset to do what I need to do. I also want to mention the last two years have been tough. It's very hard without any support. I've had incredible support from my sponsors. Glenmuir, Roundglass has been incredible for me. Also the work they're doing for sport in India. For me to be associated with them, I'm very proud.

It also gives me a lot of reassurance when I am going out and playing as well that I can put in all the effort, I can feel, but I can go again and do it because I have the backing and the support. So I'm quite happy about that, and hopefully I can change things sooner than later, starting this week. That's the plan.

THE MODERATOR: 1.4 billion people cheer for you every week. I can tell that you.

Q. You play extensively on the European Tour. If you keep the results to one side, but when you come here and play these tournaments how much does that experience help you whether you make the cut in Europe or do well there? How much does that experience help you in India?

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: It helps me. Now I've been playing on the DP World Tour for nine years so I think I'm past this stage of gaining experience in coming back to India. For me this has been my mainstay, playing on the DP World Tour. The last two years have been slightly weird. I've obviously struggled with a few things.

Before that I've been very comfortable and I have been contending a lot. In majors as well, in big tournaments where I feel like the game is coming and I'm playing better.

But that being said, now this year when I play it was after four years the first time I played. When I come and play in India obviously the conditions are very different to what we play in Europe.

But for me it's a sense of being comfortable on and off the course. More off the golf course because there much to do and so many people to meet. Sometimes being on tour gets very lonely and you're doing your own thing, having dinners alone, and especially when you're missing cuts and those laundry days on Saturday are quite boring, and you do this week after week.

So coming back to India just gives me that sense of belonging and happiness. And all my friends play here, so it's very easy to get away from bad shots or bad rounds and then switch on and switch off again. Whereas outside those bad memories linger because you're spending time on yourself on the course and off it.

Yeah, that has been the main difference. When I play on the DP World Tour that level is much higher, the depth of the fields are bigger, and personally for me coming back I'm happy I'm able to give back as well to my fellow players and younger players. I can talk to them and tell them how to get better if they want to play at the highest level.

THE MODERATOR: It's only been on the tour a very, very long time, almost close to a decade and a half if I'm not wrong, and two-times winner also.

Q. You've told about the physical part and everything. Can you tell us about the mental grind and are you working on something, mental coach or someone?

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: Yes. The mental grind is not easy, especially when you're traveling 30 weeks, living out of a suitcase. I spent all my 20s doing that. It's not the easiest, especially when you're not playing well. It takes a toll. There is a lot of pressure to perform.

And golf is an individual sport so you can't lean on a team. If you have a bad day you have a bad day. You hit a bad shot you take responsibility. You miss the cut, it's all you. You can't lean on anyone.

So the mental grind is always there. I've never shied away from it. I've always enjoyed it. Sometime the game just beats you down. It's one of those games.

In terms of work, yes, meditation helps a lot. Being in the present. Letting go I think is the most important thing in a sport like golf. You have to let go of wins and losses quickly. Easier said than done, too. It's easy to say it and to do it in practice takes a lot of effort.

I do have a psychologist also that I work with. I speak a lot to my parents, friends, everything. It's a good ecosystem which I try and create, but sometimes that also doesn't help.

So the mental grind will always stay no matter how good or bad I play. You have to just pull yourself out of those deep holes and do it again on the range every day.

The more you practice, you just find answers, but it takes time. You have to be persistent. That's what I've done the last two years. Like I said, there has never been a time where I left things and come back home. I feel, but I have persisted and done it again and again and again and I will keep doing it. I still have a lot of juice left in me.

THE MODERATOR: I'm sure about that. One more question before we wrap this up. Anyone else?

Q. Talk about how difficult it is to unlearn the bad habits? Given the schedules you play in the varying conditions, like you said yourself, how do you pick yourself up every time? You know you're in is difficult spot but you still -- where do you discover the resilience from. Is it inborn? Do you talk to your dad and mom?

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: Yeah, I talk to them obviously. I think this comes from within. You can never lose sight of your goals and why you play the sport.

For me the answer has always been very simple: I want to play with the best. It's not about being comfortable for me. It's about being uncomfortable and conquering that feeling and going and performing.

And that is what drives me to work. I don't do social golfing to be honest when I'm back home. I'm training or I'm playing tournaments. I'm serious. I'm just meeting my friends. No in between. For me that's the driving power, and also I know I can play with the best because I've done it and I can perform and beat them.

So that feeling of knowing I can get there, and right now is a tough time and I will eventually get there, is something that keeps on pushing me.

So no matter how tough the time is, sometimes it gets hard, I try and forget it fully, but if I take two, three days off, there is never a time I'm like, I don't want to do this. I want to go find the answer. When you find it it's rewarding. When you find that one swing, oh, this is what I was doing. It clicks straightaway and then you hit 100 balls and you figure it out. That has not gone away. I know what I can do and I'll keep pushing.

Q. Something that makes you smile, you get that one swing that you want, one connect. Is that a fair simile to say?

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: Yes, yes, absolutely. There is that childlike feeling of hitting that one shot in the air and you're like, wow. At that level there are ten other things that have to come together for to you hit the perfect window and the spin.

That's obviously what attracted me to the game from the start. When you're playing on the DP World Tour sometimes it becomes very monotonous. Even if you get the feeling only you're feeling it. There is no one to share it with.

As opposed to when I won on the PGTI I'm looking at my friend and telling him to do something and he's looking at me. So there is like this shared feeling of getting better or discussing it over dinner. There, you're doing it alone.

But even that is part of the challenge, being uncomfortable and conquering that feeling and still doing it. So in that way coming to the PGA has been really good. Whenever I've come back I've been really happy and able to feel that childlike exuberance I had when I was playing.

Last week hopefully has helped me and this week I can discover it again.

Q. That Friday last year over here, when you were breaking all the pins, it was so dialed in. Was that one of the best stretches of nine holes you played in your life probably? And how difficult is it to replicate that kind of should I say momentum in every nine holes, every 18 holes?

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: Yes, that day I got off to a really good start. But I've done it many times, so it wasn't something that I've never done. It was something that I almost had to remind myself that this is how I play as opposed to where I was struggling in the season. Scotland I was struggling. Last week at one point I got to a very low number and way ahead of the field on the third day and then I made some mistakes, sure.

But that feeling of being 5-, 6-under through nine holes is what I know I am capable of and this is how I want to play. And honestly, this is what you need to play out here. Gone are the days you shoot 2-under for four days. You have to be 15-, 20-under, and you have to go deep. This is how this tour is. That's why I like competing here. I know I can do it as well.

I had a great Friday. Yes, I could have made a few more putts. It was a very good score, and I feel like the game is around the same mark as last year on Friday. I played like that last week as well. It is tough to replicate, sure, but with good process every third nine can be like this. Maybe the other two can be 1-, or 2-under, which is good enough. More than good enough.

THE MODERATOR: Fantastic there. Coming straight off a win, coming to a course he grew up at and saw some of his idols, all the very best this week. Do well. I'm sure at the end of the week on Sunday we'll have a lot more to talk about.

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA: Thank you.