Shubhankar Sharma is making his PGA Tour and World Golf Championships debut this week at the 2018 WGC-Mexico Championship, so, despite having won twice already on the European Tour season, it's understandable why someone in this elite field may not be familiar with him.
Sharma and his caddie tried to break the ice before Saturday's third round with Phil Mickelson, as the 21-year-old Indian approached the five-time major winner to introduce himself. However, the 47-year-old Mickelson is apparently not an avid follower of early-season European Tour golf, so he had no idea who Sharma is. In fact, Mickelson figured Sharma was just a young reporter who he didn't have time for pre-round.
“Me and my caddie went up to [Mickelson]. He thought we were media and he said, ‘Not right now, after the round,’” Sharma said with a humble laugh after his third round. “Then he just realized and said, ‘So sorry, I thought you were media.’ He said ‘hi.’ I said ‘hi.’ Then he made a few putts and he came back to me and said, ‘Have a good day.’ It was nice.”
Now Sharma, who leads by two heading into Sunday's final round, will have a chance to give Mickelson an up-front view of his game. The two are in the final grouping with Tyrrell Hatton at 1:25 p.m. Central time. Sharma seeks a third pro win and Mickelson seeks his first since the 2013 British Open Championship.
