When Phil Mickelson Mistook Shubhankar Sharma For a Reporter

Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma and Phil Mickelson went on to start the final round of WGC-Mexico in the game group.

Phil Mickelson and Shubhankar Sharma started the final round of the Mexico Open in the final group of the day. 

(Photo: AP)

Phil Mickelson dismissed Shubhankar Sharma as a member of the media at the WGC-Mexico Championship on Saturday.

Little did the five-time major champion know that on Sunday he would be part of the final group with the 21-year-old Indian and Tyrrell Hatton at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City.

Sharma started the final round with a two-shot lead over Mickelson, Hatton, Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello. However, he crashed out with five bogeys in a final round 74 to finish tied for ninth at 274.

Phil Mickelson went on to end a five-year victory drought as he sank a par putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Justin Thomas.

India’s Shubhankar Sharma, talks with his caddie as he approaches the green on the 1st hole during the first round of the Mexico Championship at the Chapultepec Golf Club in Mexico City(Photo: AP)

Speaking after a third-round 69 on Saturday for a 13-under 200 total, Sharma though explained how he and his caddie had approached Mickelson on the practice putting green before the round.

Speaking after a third-round 69 on Saturday for a 13-under 200 total, Sharma explained how he and his caddie had approached Mickelson on the practice putting green before the round.

"He thought we were media and he said, 'not right now, after the round'," Sharma told reporters, laughing as he recalled the matter.

"Then he just realised (and said) 'so sorry, I thought you were media'. He said 'hi'. I said 'hi'. And then he made a few putts and then he came back to me and said, 'Have a good day'. It was nice."

India’s Shubhankar Sharma, squats down at the 1th hole during the the second round of the Mexico Championship at the Chapultepec Golf Club in in Mexico City, Saturday, March 3, 2018. (Photo: AP)

Mickelson could perhaps be excused for not recognising Sharma, who had never before played in the United States.

Though he has won two European Tour titles already this season - in South Africa and Malaysia, and was on cue to become the youngest winner of a World Golf Championships (WGC) event, as well as the first to win in his first WGC start, had he bagged the title on Sunday.

Sharma is so young that Tiger Woods is too old to be his idol. Rather, he was inspired by staying up all night to watch Rory McIlroy win the 2011 U.S. Open.

"It went on until six in the morning back home," Sharma recalled.

"I remember I was so inspired that I didn't sleep, I just went straight to the range and hit balls for two hours."