Shoot for the Stars

Asia’s reservoir of golfing talent continues to grow deeper with the exciting emergence of new and young rising stars

21-year-old Shubhankar Sharma is a promising prospect

Away from Thailand, Chikkaranggapa S. and Shubhankar Sharma, both in their early 20s, are only a couple of promising prospects tipped to carry India’s flag on the international front over the next decade or so. Former Asian Tour number one Anirban Lahiri, who turned 30 at the end of June, is now at the prime of his career and plying his trade full time on the PGA TOUR which is bound to make him a better golfer.

Young blood continues to flow in the veins of Korea’s Jeunghun Wang, who is already a three-time European Tour champion and he’s still only 21! Filipino hopes will rest squarely on the shoulders of 22-year-old Miguel Tabuena, who has won once on the Asian Tour.

Long-hitting Gavin Green, 23, is Malaysia’s new hope, with two runner-up finishes in India and Chinese Taipei this season pushing him into the top-five of the Order of Merit.

Of course, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama remains as the region’s shining light. At 25, he has already won four times on the PGA Tour, including this season’s Phoenix Open. With five top-10s in the Majors, Matsuyama will certainly drive the inspiration for the likes of Rattanon and company to shoot for the stars.

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Written by Chuah Choo Chiang

Photography by Courtesy of Asian Tour

Click here to see the published article.

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