Shubhankar Sharma Bounces Back: New Clubs, New Confidence

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New Delhi: After a grueling 2025, Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma has emerged from the DP World Tour's Qualifying School (Q-School) with renewed confidence and a fresh set of clubs. The 29-year-old, who has been a fixture on the European Tour for nearly a decade, had to return to Q-School to retain his playing rights for 2026. Sharma, who credits his support from Roundglass since 2024, has been working with his coach Jesse Grewal to refine his game. He competed in the final two stages of Q-School, where he secured a tied-second finish in the final stage held in Tarragona, Spain. The two-time DP World Tour winner fired rounds of 70-69-66-67-66-66, finishing 24-under 404. Sharma's decision to switch to new clubs, which he had been considering for several seasons, proved to be a game-changer. He had been using the same shaft and club combination for over 15 years, but felt the need for a change due to his growing strength and swing. The new shaft, which weighs about 10gm more, provides better control and stability. 'As I grew stronger with age and training, the same club didn't give me the same control,' Sharma explained. 'The new shaft is stiffer overall, just a bit denser in the middle section, and has a lower torque, which gives better stability.' Sharma's new equipment has already shown positive results, with his average driving distance increasing to 293.51 yards in 2024, compared to 288.44 yards in 2025. He is confident that he can carry this form into 2026 and finally win in Europe again, a feat he last achieved nine years ago. 'I was determined to change the equipment because I wanted to take ownership of my performances,' Sharma said. 'Once at the course, I do not like to second guess. I feel I had traded distance for better control, and I knew I had something left in the tank.'