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Deadspin | Kyle Tucker, Dodgers take aim at Rockes in opener of 4-game set  Apr 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker runs the bases after hitting a home run in the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images   The Los Angeles Dodgers have started strong in defense of their second straight World Series championship.  They will look to continue that success when they open a four-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night in Denver.  Los Angeles will send Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 4.00 ERA) to the mound against Colorado’s Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 2.16) in a matchup of right-handers.  The Dodgers completed a 5-1 homestand to improve to 14-4 this season. They won 11 of the 13 games against the Rockies in 2025 and are 31-8 against them since 2022.  Glasnow is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against Colorado. He will pitch in hitter-friendly Coors Field for the first time.  Batting in altitude could benefit the Dodgers’ Kyle Tucker, who was one of the biggest free-agent signings of the winter. He has struck out 17 times in 67 at-bats this season (25.4%) after fanning just 88 times in 500 at-bats last season (17.6%) with the Chicago Cubs.  “He’s not a guy that typically chases down below, but he’s chasing a lot more down below, for me,” manager Dave Roberts said. “… Typically when guys chase, they’re trying to do a little bit too much.”  Tucker acknowledges he has been chasing pitches. He is batting only .239, with two homers and 11 RBIs.  “Sometimes you just find yourself chasing more; you just have to try and just narrow your zone a little bit and look in certain parts in the zone, rather than just like swinging at whatever’s thrown,” he said.    Tucker has faced Sugano once in his career, going 0-for-3 last year while Sugano was pitching for Baltimore. Sugano took the loss in his lone career encounter against the Dodgers, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits in three innings.  Sugano is three starts into his first season with Colorado and second one in the majors. He pitched 12 seasons for Tokyo’s Yomiuri Giants before signing first with the Orioles and then with the Rockies on a one-year, .1 million deal.  The 36-year-old has pitched well for a team that has stumbled at the start of the season.  “When you throw strikes, you’re usually efficient, and Sugano attacks the strike zone,” Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said. “He’s done it in at least the first three outings (with the Rockies), and he’s done it his whole life.”  Sugano will try to pitch Colorado to its second straight win overall and its fifth in a row at home. The Rockies lost the first six games of the road trip to San Diego and Houston before squeaking out a 3-2 victory over the Astros on Thursday night.  The bullpen was sharp even though Colorado lost the first two games of the series, throwing 18 scoreless innings against the Astros.   Hunter Goodwin hit a solo homer on Thursday, marking the third time he had gone deep in the series vs. Houston.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Kyle #Tucker #Dodgers #aim #Rockes #opener #4game #set

Deadspin | Kyle Tucker, Dodgers take aim at Rockes in opener of 4-game set
Deadspin | Kyle Tucker, Dodgers take aim at Rockes in opener of 4-game set  Apr 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker runs the bases after hitting a home run in the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images   The Los Angeles Dodgers have started strong in defense of their second straight World Series championship.  They will look to continue that success when they open a four-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night in Denver.  Los Angeles will send Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 4.00 ERA) to the mound against Colorado’s Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 2.16) in a matchup of right-handers.  The Dodgers completed a 5-1 homestand to improve to 14-4 this season. They won 11 of the 13 games against the Rockies in 2025 and are 31-8 against them since 2022.  Glasnow is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against Colorado. He will pitch in hitter-friendly Coors Field for the first time.  Batting in altitude could benefit the Dodgers’ Kyle Tucker, who was one of the biggest free-agent signings of the winter. He has struck out 17 times in 67 at-bats this season (25.4%) after fanning just 88 times in 500 at-bats last season (17.6%) with the Chicago Cubs.  “He’s not a guy that typically chases down below, but he’s chasing a lot more down below, for me,” manager Dave Roberts said. “… Typically when guys chase, they’re trying to do a little bit too much.”  Tucker acknowledges he has been chasing pitches. He is batting only .239, with two homers and 11 RBIs.  “Sometimes you just find yourself chasing more; you just have to try and just narrow your zone a little bit and look in certain parts in the zone, rather than just like swinging at whatever’s thrown,” he said.    Tucker has faced Sugano once in his career, going 0-for-3 last year while Sugano was pitching for Baltimore. Sugano took the loss in his lone career encounter against the Dodgers, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits in three innings.  Sugano is three starts into his first season with Colorado and second one in the majors. He pitched 12 seasons for Tokyo’s Yomiuri Giants before signing first with the Orioles and then with the Rockies on a one-year, .1 million deal.  The 36-year-old has pitched well for a team that has stumbled at the start of the season.  “When you throw strikes, you’re usually efficient, and Sugano attacks the strike zone,” Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said. “He’s done it in at least the first three outings (with the Rockies), and he’s done it his whole life.”  Sugano will try to pitch Colorado to its second straight win overall and its fifth in a row at home. The Rockies lost the first six games of the road trip to San Diego and Houston before squeaking out a 3-2 victory over the Astros on Thursday night.  The bullpen was sharp even though Colorado lost the first two games of the series, throwing 18 scoreless innings against the Astros.   Hunter Goodwin hit a solo homer on Thursday, marking the third time he had gone deep in the series vs. Houston.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Kyle #Tucker #Dodgers #aim #Rockes #opener #4game #setApr 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker runs the bases after hitting a home run in the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers have started strong in defense of their second straight World Series championship.

They will look to continue that success when they open a four-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night in Denver.

Los Angeles will send Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 4.00 ERA) to the mound against Colorado’s Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 2.16) in a matchup of right-handers.

The Dodgers completed a 5-1 homestand to improve to 14-4 this season. They won 11 of the 13 games against the Rockies in 2025 and are 31-8 against them since 2022.

Glasnow is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against Colorado. He will pitch in hitter-friendly Coors Field for the first time.

Batting in altitude could benefit the Dodgers’ Kyle Tucker, who was one of the biggest free-agent signings of the winter. He has struck out 17 times in 67 at-bats this season (25.4%) after fanning just 88 times in 500 at-bats last season (17.6%) with the Chicago Cubs.

“He’s not a guy that typically chases down below, but he’s chasing a lot more down below, for me,” manager Dave Roberts said. “… Typically when guys chase, they’re trying to do a little bit too much.”

Tucker acknowledges he has been chasing pitches. He is batting only .239, with two homers and 11 RBIs.


“Sometimes you just find yourself chasing more; you just have to try and just narrow your zone a little bit and look in certain parts in the zone, rather than just like swinging at whatever’s thrown,” he said.

Tucker has faced Sugano once in his career, going 0-for-3 last year while Sugano was pitching for Baltimore. Sugano took the loss in his lone career encounter against the Dodgers, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits in three innings.

Sugano is three starts into his first season with Colorado and second one in the majors. He pitched 12 seasons for Tokyo’s Yomiuri Giants before signing first with the Orioles and then with the Rockies on a one-year, $5.1 million deal.

The 36-year-old has pitched well for a team that has stumbled at the start of the season.

“When you throw strikes, you’re usually efficient, and Sugano attacks the strike zone,” Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said. “He’s done it in at least the first three outings (with the Rockies), and he’s done it his whole life.”

Sugano will try to pitch Colorado to its second straight win overall and its fifth in a row at home. The Rockies lost the first six games of the road trip to San Diego and Houston before squeaking out a 3-2 victory over the Astros on Thursday night.

The bullpen was sharp even though Colorado lost the first two games of the series, throwing 18 scoreless innings against the Astros.

Hunter Goodwin hit a solo homer on Thursday, marking the third time he had gone deep in the series vs. Houston.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Kyle #Tucker #Dodgers #aim #Rockes #opener #4game #set

Apr 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker runs the bases after hitting a home run in the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers have started strong in defense of their second straight World Series championship.

They will look to continue that success when they open a four-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night in Denver.

Los Angeles will send Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 4.00 ERA) to the mound against Colorado’s Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 2.16) in a matchup of right-handers.

The Dodgers completed a 5-1 homestand to improve to 14-4 this season. They won 11 of the 13 games against the Rockies in 2025 and are 31-8 against them since 2022.

Glasnow is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against Colorado. He will pitch in hitter-friendly Coors Field for the first time.

Batting in altitude could benefit the Dodgers’ Kyle Tucker, who was one of the biggest free-agent signings of the winter. He has struck out 17 times in 67 at-bats this season (25.4%) after fanning just 88 times in 500 at-bats last season (17.6%) with the Chicago Cubs.

“He’s not a guy that typically chases down below, but he’s chasing a lot more down below, for me,” manager Dave Roberts said. “… Typically when guys chase, they’re trying to do a little bit too much.”

Tucker acknowledges he has been chasing pitches. He is batting only .239, with two homers and 11 RBIs.

“Sometimes you just find yourself chasing more; you just have to try and just narrow your zone a little bit and look in certain parts in the zone, rather than just like swinging at whatever’s thrown,” he said.

Tucker has faced Sugano once in his career, going 0-for-3 last year while Sugano was pitching for Baltimore. Sugano took the loss in his lone career encounter against the Dodgers, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits in three innings.

Sugano is three starts into his first season with Colorado and second one in the majors. He pitched 12 seasons for Tokyo’s Yomiuri Giants before signing first with the Orioles and then with the Rockies on a one-year, $5.1 million deal.

The 36-year-old has pitched well for a team that has stumbled at the start of the season.

“When you throw strikes, you’re usually efficient, and Sugano attacks the strike zone,” Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said. “He’s done it in at least the first three outings (with the Rockies), and he’s done it his whole life.”

Sugano will try to pitch Colorado to its second straight win overall and its fifth in a row at home. The Rockies lost the first six games of the road trip to San Diego and Houston before squeaking out a 3-2 victory over the Astros on Thursday night.

The bullpen was sharp even though Colorado lost the first two games of the series, throwing 18 scoreless innings against the Astros.

Hunter Goodwin hit a solo homer on Thursday, marking the third time he had gone deep in the series vs. Houston.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Kyle #Tucker #Dodgers #aim #Rockes #opener #4game #set

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Kenyon Sadiq goes to Buccaneers at pick No. 15 thanks to Bucs Nation in SB Nation’s community mock draft <div id="cyclone-embed-body-ea2bd107-eca8-4b7b-b302-bf67e8918ac9"><p>TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon</p><p>The Buccaneers taking Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq would signal a clear shift in how this offense plans to evolve post–Mike Evans. Sadiq isn’t just a traditional tight end—he brings athleticism and pass-catching upside that could help fill some of the production void left by Evans’ departure. While he won’t replicate Evans’ elite outside presence, he could become a matchup nightmare in the middle of the field and in the red zone. For a Buccaneers offense looking to retool, adding a versatile weapon like Sadiq could open up new layers in the passing game. It also gives quarterback Baker Mayfield a reliable safety valve, something that becomes even more critical without a dominant WR1. If developed correctly, this pick could quietly become one of the more impactful moves in reshaping Tampa Bay’s offensive identity.</p></div> #Kenyon #Sadiq #Buccaneers #pick #Bucs #Nation #Nations #community #mock #draft

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भोजशाला केस में हाई कोर्ट की बड़ी टिप्पणी- ‘सभी धर्मों का सम्मान ही संविधान की खूबसूरती’, इस मांग को किया खारिज

Deadspin | Montreal opens new chapter against visiting Red Bulls  Mar 8, 2026; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; Red Bull New York midfielder Adri Mehmeti (15) tries to gain control of the ball against CF Montréal midfielder Olger Escobar (29) and forward Noah Streit (23) during the second half at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images   CF Montreal will be under new leadership against the visiting New York Red Bulls on Saturday afternoon.  Montreal (1-6-0, 3 points) parted ways with head coach Marco Donadel after dropping its home opener 2-1 to the Philadelphia Union last weekend. After just over a year in charge, Donadel boasted the worst win percentage of any of the 11 managers in the club’s history.  Philippe Eullaffroy, who directed Montreal’s academy from 2014-20 and rejoined the team this year as an assistant coach, will take the helm as caretaker manager.  “I’m not gonna reinvent the wheel,” Eullaffroy said when asked about his tactical philosophy at his first press conference. “What I want is a very dynamic team playing with a lot of boldness and respect of the game plan.”  He has the unenviable task of rescuing the team from the bottom of the MLS table. Montreal hopes to earn its first home win in considerably speedier fashion than last season, when it was winless at Stade Saputo until June.  The only team Montreal has bested this year in league play are these same New York Red Bulls (3-2-2, 11 points), winning 3-0 on March 8.    That defeat dealt a blow to New York’s  early season momentum. After winning their first two matches, the Red Bulls have since won just one of four in MLS play.  Their most recent outing was a 3-1 win Wednesday over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32. Head coach Michael Bradley singled out the efforts of academy product Julian Hall, who scored his second brace of the season.  “It’s not just the goals,” noted Bradley, who secured his first win in the competition. “(It was) his ability to lead our press, to set the tone for everybody in terms of how aggressive we can be to step up and go after the other team.”  The 18-year-old has seven goal contributions (five goals, two assists) through seven MLS matches.  Montreal might be without defender Brayan Vera, who did not train on Tuesday, and former Red Bulls midfielder Wiki Carmona, who scored a brace against his old team in their March meeting. Midfielder Hennadii Synchuk has also picked up an apparent injury.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Montreal #opens #chapter #visiting #Red #BullsMar 8, 2026; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; Red Bull New York midfielder Adri Mehmeti (15) tries to gain control of the ball against CF Montréal midfielder Olger Escobar (29) and forward Noah Streit (23) during the second half at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

CF Montreal will be under new leadership against the visiting New York Red Bulls on Saturday afternoon.

Montreal (1-6-0, 3 points) parted ways with head coach Marco Donadel after dropping its home opener 2-1 to the Philadelphia Union last weekend. After just over a year in charge, Donadel boasted the worst win percentage of any of the 11 managers in the club’s history.

Philippe Eullaffroy, who directed Montreal’s academy from 2014-20 and rejoined the team this year as an assistant coach, will take the helm as caretaker manager.

“I’m not gonna reinvent the wheel,” Eullaffroy said when asked about his tactical philosophy at his first press conference. “What I want is a very dynamic team playing with a lot of boldness and respect of the game plan.”

He has the unenviable task of rescuing the team from the bottom of the MLS table. Montreal hopes to earn its first home win in considerably speedier fashion than last season, when it was winless at Stade Saputo until June.


The only team Montreal has bested this year in league play are these same New York Red Bulls (3-2-2, 11 points), winning 3-0 on March 8.

That defeat dealt a blow to New York’s early season momentum. After winning their first two matches, the Red Bulls have since won just one of four in MLS play.

Their most recent outing was a 3-1 win Wednesday over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32. Head coach Michael Bradley singled out the efforts of academy product Julian Hall, who scored his second brace of the season.

“It’s not just the goals,” noted Bradley, who secured his first win in the competition. “(It was) his ability to lead our press, to set the tone for everybody in terms of how aggressive we can be to step up and go after the other team.”

The 18-year-old has seven goal contributions (five goals, two assists) through seven MLS matches.

Montreal might be without defender Brayan Vera, who did not train on Tuesday, and former Red Bulls midfielder Wiki Carmona, who scored a brace against his old team in their March meeting. Midfielder Hennadii Synchuk has also picked up an apparent injury.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Montreal #opens #chapter #visiting #Red #Bulls">Deadspin | Montreal opens new chapter against visiting Red Bulls  Mar 8, 2026; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; Red Bull New York midfielder Adri Mehmeti (15) tries to gain control of the ball against CF Montréal midfielder Olger Escobar (29) and forward Noah Streit (23) during the second half at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images   CF Montreal will be under new leadership against the visiting New York Red Bulls on Saturday afternoon.  Montreal (1-6-0, 3 points) parted ways with head coach Marco Donadel after dropping its home opener 2-1 to the Philadelphia Union last weekend. After just over a year in charge, Donadel boasted the worst win percentage of any of the 11 managers in the club’s history.  Philippe Eullaffroy, who directed Montreal’s academy from 2014-20 and rejoined the team this year as an assistant coach, will take the helm as caretaker manager.  “I’m not gonna reinvent the wheel,” Eullaffroy said when asked about his tactical philosophy at his first press conference. “What I want is a very dynamic team playing with a lot of boldness and respect of the game plan.”  He has the unenviable task of rescuing the team from the bottom of the MLS table. Montreal hopes to earn its first home win in considerably speedier fashion than last season, when it was winless at Stade Saputo until June.  The only team Montreal has bested this year in league play are these same New York Red Bulls (3-2-2, 11 points), winning 3-0 on March 8.    That defeat dealt a blow to New York’s  early season momentum. After winning their first two matches, the Red Bulls have since won just one of four in MLS play.  Their most recent outing was a 3-1 win Wednesday over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32. Head coach Michael Bradley singled out the efforts of academy product Julian Hall, who scored his second brace of the season.  “It’s not just the goals,” noted Bradley, who secured his first win in the competition. “(It was) his ability to lead our press, to set the tone for everybody in terms of how aggressive we can be to step up and go after the other team.”  The 18-year-old has seven goal contributions (five goals, two assists) through seven MLS matches.  Montreal might be without defender Brayan Vera, who did not train on Tuesday, and former Red Bulls midfielder Wiki Carmona, who scored a brace against his old team in their March meeting. Midfielder Hennadii Synchuk has also picked up an apparent injury.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Montreal #opens #chapter #visiting #Red #Bulls

An oft agonising eight-year wait for a title ended for Shubhankar Sharma after a commanding victory at the Boulders Classic. As the winning putt settled the contest, he allowed himself a pause before being engulfed by celebrations, with friends rushing onto the course to soak in a cherished triumph.

It was a finish that felt both cathartic and familiar in equal measure, but one that carried the weight of years spent chasing a return to the top. Reflecting on his dominant week, Shubhankar said his favourite moment came right at the end.

“It was nice to walk down the 18th knowing that I had done it after hitting my tee shot. There were many great shots that I hit, but my favorite moment was on the 18th, because that hadn’t happened in a long time,” he told Sportstar.

The 29-year-old, who has battled form and equipment challenges in recent times, said winning on home soil made the moment even more meaningful.

“Winning is always hard in golf. I’ve come very close over the years. This is special because all my friends are here. They were all there to pour beer on me; it was quite a moment on the 18th hole. It’s probably tough to recreate this if I were playing in Europe,” he said.

“This has been the best week I’ve had probably in the last four or five years. I’ve had good events abroad as well, but the amount of fun I’ve had here has been incredible.”

Shubhankar also pointed to the steady improvement in Indian golf infrastructure, while acknowledging there is still progress to be made. “We’re getting better, but there’s still a long way to go. Obviously, that requires a lot of investment, and more and more people will get into golf.”

RELATED | Shubhankar Sharma wins inaugural edition of Boulders Classic after creating PGTI history

He also reflected on the broader growth of the sport in India since the start of his career.

“The skill level here has gone so far up. Also, the PGTI prize money fund is a lot more than it used to be. Thirty lakhs was the smallest amount back when I used to play here. Now, it’s one crore — almost 2.5 times! That is a big jump. It’s an Olympic sport, and the government is also taking some interest. There are only good things for this sport in the future.”

After lifting the winner’s trophy, he also encouraged young Indian golfers to aim higher and test themselves on bigger stages.

“I would just request all the players to push themselves as much as possible. Don’t settle for average. Don’t settle for just winning a tournament. Set higher bars for yourself. We have so many international players who play here now, but there’s a lot of depth outside,” he said.

“Push yourself, invest in yourself, and go abroad to play qualifiers. Don’t get comfortable here. Use the platform PGTI provides to get on the main European tour. Go abroad during the summer holidays when there are no tournaments here. Don’t save money and sit at home.”

Published on Apr 17, 2026

#Boulders #Classic #Shubhankar #Sharma #savours #longawaited #title #triumph">Boulders Classic 2026: Shubhankar Sharma savours long-awaited title triumph  An oft agonising eight-year wait for a title ended for Shubhankar Sharma after a commanding victory at the Boulders Classic. As the winning putt settled the contest, he allowed himself a pause before being engulfed by celebrations, with friends rushing onto the course to soak in a cherished triumph.It was a finish that felt both cathartic and familiar in equal measure, but one that carried the weight of years spent chasing a return to the top. Reflecting on his dominant week, Shubhankar said his favourite moment came right at the end.“It was nice to walk down the 18th knowing that I had done it after hitting my tee shot. There were many great shots that I hit, but my favorite moment was on the 18th, because that hadn’t happened in a long time,” he told        Sportstar.The 29-year-old, who has battled form and equipment challenges in recent times, said winning on home soil made the moment even more meaningful.“Winning is always hard in golf. I’ve come very close over the years. This is special because all my friends are here. They were all there to pour beer on me; it was quite a moment on the 18th hole. It’s probably tough to recreate this if I were playing in Europe,” he said.“This has been the best week I’ve had probably in the last four or five years. I’ve had good events abroad as well, but the amount of fun I’ve had here has been incredible.”Shubhankar also pointed to the steady improvement in Indian golf infrastructure, while acknowledging there is still progress to be made. “We’re getting better, but there’s still a long way to go. Obviously, that requires a lot of investment, and more and more people will get into golf.”RELATED | Shubhankar Sharma wins inaugural edition of Boulders Classic after creating PGTI historyHe also reflected on the broader growth of the sport in India since the start of his career.“The skill level here has gone so far up. Also, the PGTI prize money fund is a lot more than it used to be. Thirty lakhs was the smallest amount back when I used to play here. Now, it’s one crore — almost 2.5 times! That is a big jump. It’s an Olympic sport, and the government is also taking some interest. There are only good things for this sport in the future.”After lifting the winner’s trophy, he also encouraged young Indian golfers to aim higher and test themselves on bigger stages.“I would just request all the players to push themselves as much as possible. Don’t settle for average. Don’t settle for just winning a tournament. Set higher bars for yourself. We have so many international players who play here now, but there’s a lot of depth outside,” he said.“Push yourself, invest in yourself, and go abroad to play qualifiers. Don’t get comfortable here. Use the platform PGTI provides to get on the main European tour. Go abroad during the summer holidays when there are no tournaments here. Don’t save money and sit at home.”Published on Apr 17, 2026  #Boulders #Classic #Shubhankar #Sharma #savours #longawaited #title #triumph

Shubhankar Sharma wins inaugural edition of Boulders Classic after creating PGTI history

He also reflected on the broader growth of the sport in India since the start of his career.

“The skill level here has gone so far up. Also, the PGTI prize money fund is a lot more than it used to be. Thirty lakhs was the smallest amount back when I used to play here. Now, it’s one crore — almost 2.5 times! That is a big jump. It’s an Olympic sport, and the government is also taking some interest. There are only good things for this sport in the future.”

After lifting the winner’s trophy, he also encouraged young Indian golfers to aim higher and test themselves on bigger stages.

“I would just request all the players to push themselves as much as possible. Don’t settle for average. Don’t settle for just winning a tournament. Set higher bars for yourself. We have so many international players who play here now, but there’s a lot of depth outside,” he said.

“Push yourself, invest in yourself, and go abroad to play qualifiers. Don’t get comfortable here. Use the platform PGTI provides to get on the main European tour. Go abroad during the summer holidays when there are no tournaments here. Don’t save money and sit at home.”

Published on Apr 17, 2026

#Boulders #Classic #Shubhankar #Sharma #savours #longawaited #title #triumph">Boulders Classic 2026: Shubhankar Sharma savours long-awaited title triumph

An oft agonising eight-year wait for a title ended for Shubhankar Sharma after a commanding victory at the Boulders Classic. As the winning putt settled the contest, he allowed himself a pause before being engulfed by celebrations, with friends rushing onto the course to soak in a cherished triumph.

It was a finish that felt both cathartic and familiar in equal measure, but one that carried the weight of years spent chasing a return to the top. Reflecting on his dominant week, Shubhankar said his favourite moment came right at the end.

“It was nice to walk down the 18th knowing that I had done it after hitting my tee shot. There were many great shots that I hit, but my favorite moment was on the 18th, because that hadn’t happened in a long time,” he told Sportstar.

The 29-year-old, who has battled form and equipment challenges in recent times, said winning on home soil made the moment even more meaningful.

“Winning is always hard in golf. I’ve come very close over the years. This is special because all my friends are here. They were all there to pour beer on me; it was quite a moment on the 18th hole. It’s probably tough to recreate this if I were playing in Europe,” he said.

“This has been the best week I’ve had probably in the last four or five years. I’ve had good events abroad as well, but the amount of fun I’ve had here has been incredible.”

Shubhankar also pointed to the steady improvement in Indian golf infrastructure, while acknowledging there is still progress to be made. “We’re getting better, but there’s still a long way to go. Obviously, that requires a lot of investment, and more and more people will get into golf.”

RELATED | Shubhankar Sharma wins inaugural edition of Boulders Classic after creating PGTI history

He also reflected on the broader growth of the sport in India since the start of his career.

“The skill level here has gone so far up. Also, the PGTI prize money fund is a lot more than it used to be. Thirty lakhs was the smallest amount back when I used to play here. Now, it’s one crore — almost 2.5 times! That is a big jump. It’s an Olympic sport, and the government is also taking some interest. There are only good things for this sport in the future.”

After lifting the winner’s trophy, he also encouraged young Indian golfers to aim higher and test themselves on bigger stages.

“I would just request all the players to push themselves as much as possible. Don’t settle for average. Don’t settle for just winning a tournament. Set higher bars for yourself. We have so many international players who play here now, but there’s a lot of depth outside,” he said.

“Push yourself, invest in yourself, and go abroad to play qualifiers. Don’t get comfortable here. Use the platform PGTI provides to get on the main European tour. Go abroad during the summer holidays when there are no tournaments here. Don’t save money and sit at home.”

Published on Apr 17, 2026

#Boulders #Classic #Shubhankar #Sharma #savours #longawaited #title #triumph

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