March 06, 2018
Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma's reward for an impressive run of recent form will be a first-ever major appearance after the rising star was handed an invite to next month's Masters on Tuesday.
Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said the 21-year-old had been offered a spot in the field after a four-month spell which has included two wins and a ninth-place finish at the WGC-Mexico Championship last weekend.
"Golf is a global game, and throughout our history we have extended invitations to deserving international players not otherwise qualified," Ridley said in a statement.
"As his results have proven, Shubhankar Sharma is a remarkable young player, and we look forward to welcoming him to Augusta National in April."
Sharma's run of form included a victory at the European Tour's Joburg Open in December before a win at the Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur last month.
He followed that up with a strong performance in Mexico last weekend, where he led after 36 and 54 holes before settling for a share of ninth place.
Sharma, the world number 66, will become only the fourth Indian player to compete in the Masters, following Jeev Milkha Singh , Arjun Atwal and Anirban Lahiri .
The Masters takes place from April 5-8.
