Shubhankar Sharma will remember his 27th birthday as the day he recorded his lowest 36-hole total at a Major Championship to sit very much in the mix heading into the weekend at The 151st Open.
Sharma followed up his opening 68 with a level-par 71 in tricky conditions on Friday to reach three under par and sit in a tie for fourth at the halfway stage.
The Indian turned in 35 on day two after carding one birdie and a single bogey on the front nine before sandwiching a double bogey on the 17th between birdies at the 15th and 18th.
Two-time DP World Tour winner Sharma had been struggling for form ahead of the final Major of the year, with his joint-16th placed finish at May's KLM Open his best result since he finished in a tie for 13th at the Hero Indian Open on home soil in February.
But he showed he was well and truly back to his best on his birthday on Friday and he is looking forward to the weekend in Hoylake.
He said: "I'm very happy.
"In fact, I was seeing the scores, and when I teed off the first two, three holes, I saw the wind was definitely a lot more than what we played yesterday. I told myself a level-par round would not be a bad round today.
"Obviously I didn't want that 17 thing to happen and finish level par like that, but if I look at it as a whole, I'm quite happy.
"Level par is good. Still in it. Still two more good days to go hopefully, and I'll be good.
"Until the time it's the back nine on Sunday, your position really doesn't matter. I'm happy that I'm in and around the top ten mark.
"Now it's just how I play the next two days, and we'll see."
68-71 for his lowest opening rounds at a Major 🙌 @shubhankargolf currently shares fifth place on his 27th birthday. #TheOpen pic.twitter.com/jxwdGOCRTY
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) July 21, 2023
Despite having limited experience of playing links golf as a youngster, Sharma revealed he is a big fan, saying: "I've always loved links golf.
"Even though I've not played it much growing up, but just watching it on TV, watching The Open and the different shots that you can play and be creative, yeah, it's definitely up my alley.
"I really like it, even when I was here three weeks ago playing practice rounds I really enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun."
