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Caddy-turned pro Akshay wins post-lockdown inaugural PGTI tourney, equals India’s four-round record of under-24 par
After buying a house for family, the 30-year-old golfer’s next on radar is a marriage and four-wheeler; the today’s win got him a cheque of ₹4.84lakh.
Since Akshay Sharma turned professional in 2010, his ultimate target was to earn enough money, so that he could move his family of six from a one-room rented accommodation to their own. His target worked as a motivation, but at times it also put extra pressure on him.
Last month, he relieved the pressure by buying a six-room house for his family. And this was very much evident when he took to the greens after over seven months of the resumption of the domestic professional circuit started simultaneously in Panchkula and Chandigarh from November 4. His superlative performance got him equal the PGTI (Professional Golf Tour of India) four-round record of 24-under set by multiple Asian tour winner Anirban Lahiri and highest ranked Indian golfer in the world Rashid Khan.
On all the four days, Sharma played under-par (64,66,67,67) and maintained the top position on the leader’s board from beginning till end to lift the title --- TATA Steel PGTI Players Championship 2020 Presented by Panchkula Golf Club --- and a cheque of ₹4.84 lakh on Saturday.
Another Chandigarh golfer Karandeep Kochhar finished second with a tally of 19-under-269. He got a cheque of ₹3.34 lakh.
“The professional golfers, especially the caddy-turned pros, are totally dependent on the tournaments to earn their livelihood. So, I was eagerly waiting for the professional circuit to resume post-lockdown and I am really happy that I won the inaugural tournament. The win in the first event will set a tone for the remaining four events of the season. My next target is to perform well in the second tournament presented by my home course Chandigarh Golf Club starting from November 9,” says elated Akshay Sharma. “When I teed-off for the first round, I was not sure that I would win the tournament or not, but I was very much confident of putting up a good show and that spirit helped me to play under-8 on the first day. The momentum set after the first round, helped me to do well in the remaining rounds,” added the 30-year-old golfer.
Sharma’s association with the sport started as a caddy at an age of 13. Two years later he started playing and at 20 he turned professional. Last month, he bought a two-storey 180 square yard house at Nayagaon near Chandigarh for his family. “The day I turned pro, my ultimate target was to have my own house. It took me almost 10 years to realise my dream. Now, the next in line is marriage and a car. I also have to save money to play on the Asian Tour. If I will do well there, then I can aim for a bigger car too, otherwise I have to be confined with a smaller one,” he says. “My life revolves around the 18-hole golf course. First, it was the job of the caddie to earn pocket money and contribute to my family’s meagre income and now I play golf to provide a decent lifestyle to my family. Whenever I enter the golf course, the memory of my struggling days becomes fresh and it motivates me to do better every time I tee off.”
After two years of caddying, Sharma bought two second hand clubs (7 Iron and Sandwich) for ₹500 each. As he was not eligible to use the course, Sharma honed golfing skills in the ground at Saketri, near the course so after his caddy work. “For almost two years I saved the money and bought my first set. It was second-hand and cost me ₹8,000. Today I am a little bit comfortable and have got an equipment sponsor. But I can never forget what the members of the Chandigarh Golf Course have done for me. SPS Matharoo, who is the captain of the course, has helped me financially, so that I can travel and participate in the tournaments,” says Sharma. “I am also thankful to my caddy Montu Kumar (from Delhi), who had travelled with me by train and stayed in the cheapest lodges. But since 2017, I am able to afford traveling by air and staying in decent hotels,” he adds.
