Shubhankar Sharma will become the first Indian to feature in a Hero Challenge for the second time when he tees off at the final leg of the tournament at Atlantis, The Palm, here on Tuesday.
Sharma, Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn and reigning Race to Dubai champion Tommy Fleetwood complete a world-class field for the final Hero Challenge of the 2018 European Tour season.
Sharma also played at the Hero Challenge in Edinburgh before the Scottish Open.
The trio join Masters Tournament champion Patrick Reed, two-time Race to Dubai winner and 2016 Open Champion Henrik Stenson, and former World Number One Lee Westwood, who won the inaugural Race to Dubai in 2009, for the latest edition of the innovative shoot-out contest.
Taking place ahead of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, the Hero Challenge will be held at the Championship’s 10th Anniversary Beach Party at Atlantis, The Palm, as the world-famous resort joins the list of iconic global locations to host the event in 2018.
The winner of the final edition of 2018 will be among illustrious company, joining American Matt Kuchar, who triumphed at historic Edinburgh Castle in Scotland’s capital city, and fan favourite Andrew “Beef” Johnston, who lifted the trophy against the stunning backdrop of London’s famous business district Canary Wharf.
Sharma won his first two European Tour titles this season as he established himself as Indian golf’s latest star.
“I’m making my debut at the DP World Tour Championship this year and the Hero Challenge will be a great way to start an exciting week. My first experience of the Hero Challenge was at Edinburgh Castle and it will be very cool to tee it up in another world-famous venue,” he said.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, the season-ending event on the Race to Dubai and the eighth and final Rolex Series tournament of 2018. The Rolex Series is the premium category of tournaments on the European Tour’s Race to Dubai, each with a minimum prize fund of USD 7million.