Shubhankar Sharma leads by himself at WGC-Mexico Championship

MEXICO CITY – Shubhankar Sharma’s fan experience has been excellent this week. The soft-spoken 21-year-old from India got a sweet up-close look at Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson on the driving range at Club de Golf Chapultepec. They were hitting balls right behind him! Oh, and Sharma has been seeing some really famous players in the hotel gym. “Some of them say hi to me,â€� Sharma said, “which is very nice.â€� The thing is, Sharma isn’t just a fan, and he isn’t just a player. He’s the solo leader. The youngest player in the field, and possibly the most wide-eyed, birdied the last three holes for a second-round 66 and a two-stroke lead at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship.    “I’m really happy,â€� he said. “It’s a total dream come true.â€� Xander Schauffele (68), Rafa Cabrera Bello (67) and Sergio Garcia (65) were two strokes back, with defending champion Dustin Johnson (66) looming amid a huge logjam at 7-under, four off the pace of the fast-rising superstar from India. A few months ago, Sharma said, he was watching the PGA TOUR coverage on TV back in India, after midnight. Now he’s the one everyone is watching. “Everything has happened so fast for me,â€� said Sharma, who eagled the 317-yard, par-4 first hole for the second straight day. “In the past four months, my life has totally changed.â€� As usual, Sharma was followed by his father, retired Col. Mohan Sharma, as he toured the hilly, tree-lined Chapultepec course. Mohan wore a pink shirt, but otherwise was a quiet presence in a decidedly quiet gallery. (Sharma played in one of only two twosomes.) Ever since Shubhankar turned pro at 16, his father has been close at his side, and lately the duo, and Sharma’s caddie, Gurbaaz Mann, have seen their lives take a dramatic turn for the better. Sharma won two European Tour-sanctioned events to take pole position in the Race to Dubai, and saw his ranking rise all the way to 75th. Now he’s got his sights set on taking it even higher and getting into the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play (top 66 or so) and the Masters (top 50).    “It’s impressive,â€� said Malaysia’s Gavin Kyle Green, Sharma’s playing partner. “He didn’t really miss many shots. It’s a perfect course for him. He hits it straight; doesn’t really move it much. “I really hope for the best for him,â€� added Green, who struggled with scores of 78-73 but kept up a conversation with the leader. “I’ve gotten to know him just playing in Asia and Europe the last couple years. He’s awesome. He’s super-chill. He’s fun to talk to, fun to play with.â€� That’s a common sentiment at Chapultepec; everyone, it seems, has fallen for Sharma. After he sat for a video shoot earlier this week, Sharma thanked the producer for making him feel at ease in his first big interview. On Friday, Sharma was toward the end of his media obligations when he was asked if he’s had any surreal moments this week. “Every day,â€� he said. Most surreal of all might be his first two scores of 65-66. “Really,â€� Sharma said, “I think I belong here and that I can be on the PGA TOUR, and that gives me a lot of faith and a lot of confidence going forward.â€� OBSERVATIONS SPIETH ENCOURAGED. Although he still wasn’t in top form on the greens (31 putts), Jordan Spieth went bogey-free and liked what he saw from tee to green during a 4-under 67. “I had three two-putt birdies, and a short-range birdie putt,â€� he said. “And then I had a lot of other looks, and that’s kind of what you need on this golf course. These greens get a little beat up on this poa annua surface; some go in and some don’t. I made a couple really good par saves that kept that bogey-free streak alive, but I’m going to need some more to fall to catch these leaders.â€� GARCIA LOVING CHAPULTEPEC. Making just his second PGA TOUR start this season, Sergio Garcia took 29 putts for the second straight day, eagled the par-5 11th hole, and shot one of just two 65s on the day. At 9-under, he’s two back going into the weekend. “Well, it’s the kind of golf course I like,â€� Garcia said. “You know, Valderrama is my favorite course, small greens. Sawgrass, one of my favorite golf courses, small greens. So, I do like these kinds of courses better, and when it gets a bit firmer like it’s getting, and a bit more challenging, I do feel, even though it’s not easy, a bit more comfortable.â€� Garcia finished T12 here a year ago. DJ LURKS 4 BACK. Dustin Johnson, the defending WGC-Mexico champion, holed his approach shot for eagle at the ninth hole and got himself right back into the tournament with a second-round 66. “It was much better today,â€� said Johnson, who hit 15 of 18 greens. “I hit the ball well, drove it well. I felt like I rolled it good, just didn’t make any putts today.â€� Johnson took 28 putts and ranked 49th of 64 players in strokes gained: putting. “Got a lot of confidence going into the weekend with the way I struck it today,â€� he said. NOTABLES XANDER SCHAUFFELE – He is the only player left not to make a bogey, and a 3-under 68 has him just two back and primed to chase down his third TOUR victory. The 24-year-old from San Diego hit 11 of 18 greens, but ranked T1 in scrambling. LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN – Making just his second TOUR start this season, the first-round leader spun his wheels with an even-par 71, joining a logjam of players four back. Best shot of the day might have been his 15-foot putt to save bogey at the 215-yard, par-3 13th hole. RAFA CABRERA BELLO – Birdied four of his first six holes and erased a few mistakes with eagle at the par-5 15th. Two back, but ranks first in strokes gained: putting through two rounds. BUBBA WATSON – After his disastrous finish in the first round, he shot a second-round 66 to get to 7-under for the tournament, which was where he was through his first 11 holes Thursday.  PHIL MICKELSON – A fourth straight top-10 finish is well within reach after a 68 put him at 5-under, just six back. Made a classic Mickelson par at 18 after hitting his second shot into the stands and taking a drop near the practice green. CHRIS PAISLEY – The most surprising name on the leaderboard in round one, England’s Paisley fell back with a 75 and goes into the weekend nine off the lead. We were in the room doing a bunch of homework. When I say we, it was Teddy doing a bunch of homework.I tried to make a lot of bogeys today, but somehow snuck those pars in. SUPERLATIVES Low round: 6-under 65 by Sergio Garcia and Kyle Stanley. Longest drive: 416 yds (Brendan Steele/No. 4) Longest putt: 36′ 6″ (Adam Hadwin/No. 13) Toughest hole: Par-3 7th (3.250) CALL OF THE DAY SHOT OF THE DAY BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

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