Palm Harbor, Florida …

Fred Ridley, new Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, announced today that Shubhankar Sharma has accepted an invitation to compete in the 2018 Masters.

A 21-year-old from India, Sharma will be making his first appearance in the Tournament and comes just three days after he headed into the final round of the WGC – Mexico Championship leading by two shots.

The Masters Committee has recognised his enormous talent also in winning twice in recent months – the Joburg Open and the Maybank Championship – with an invitation to year’s first Major.

Shubhankar Sharma wins 2018 Maybank Championship and is now headed to Augusta Natoinal. (Photo – European Tour/Getty)

“Golf is a global game, and throughout our history we have extended invitations to deserving international players not otherwise qualified,” Ridley said.

“As his results have proven, Shubhankar Sharma is a remarkable young player, and we look forward to welcoming him to Augusta National in April.”

The India-born golfing sensaton recently finished T-9 at the WGC-Mexico Championship, holding the lead after 36 and 54 holes. Now ranked No. 66 on the Official World Golf Ranking, the Masters will be the first major championship appearance of his career.

Sharma will become the fourth Indian player to compete in the Masters, following Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal and Anirban Lahiri.

Two qualification criteria remain active for this year’s Tournament: winners of PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation for the season-ending Tour Championship and the 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the Masters.