Sharma and Wang lead rising stars at Qatar Masters

TheEuropean Tour’s only multiple winner of the 2018 season, ShubhankarSharma, will join the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters defending championJeunghun Wang in the field when a host of rising stars play the 21stedition of the historic event, from February 22-25.Sharma iscurrently sitting pretty as the European Tour’s number one player afterwinning twice in just six appearances this season, and only 13 careerappearances on the tour.His first came at the Joburg Open inDecember, when he stormed to a three-shot victory thanks in part to astunning second round 61, before he confirmed his status as one of thetour’s most exciting prospects by winning the Maybank Championship inswashbuckling style as he signed for a final round 62 to finish twostrokes clear.That victory moved the 21-year-old to the top of theyear-long points list for the 2018 European Tour season, ahead of TommyFleetwood, and the Indian is looking forward to making his debut inQatar next week.“I watched Jeunghun Wang last year on the televisionand that was really nice to see,” said Sharma. “I know it’s very windyand it looks challenging but I think I will really enjoy it there.“Obviously I’m playing well at the moment and I will be hoping for another good week at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.”Wang,meanwhile, will make the short trip from Oman following this week’s NBOOman Open, to return to the scene of a dramatic triumph last year,claiming a third career title after overcoming Swede Joakim Lagergrenand Jaco Van Zyl of South Africa courtesy of a birdie at the firstplay-off hole.“It feels really good to be going back to theCommercial Bank Qatar Masters as the defending champion. Oman isobviously here in the same region and I like being here, there’s alwaysgood weather, nice courses and nice views. I’m very excited to be goingback there though,” Wang said.“I don’t remember a lot from last yearbecause all I was thinking about was winning, but it was a really goodexperience for me, an unforgettable one.“I’m hitting the ball reallywell right now, I’m driving well, my irons are good but my putting isnot great in the last couple of weeks. If I put well maybe I can givemyself a chance to win again.”A strong field of golfing heroes willonce again assemble at Doha Golf Club for the event, which boasts astar-studded list of former winners including the 1999 Open championPaul Lawrie, who has twice triumphed in the Qatari capital.The 2016Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke plays the event for the seventh time butfor the first time since 2011, when he finished in a share of 12thplace before later that season lifting the Claret Jug courtesy of adominant display at Royal St George’s.The Northern Irishman playedin the inaugural edition of the event back in 1998, when he claimed hisbest finish to date thanks to a tied ninth finish as Andrew Coltartearned his maiden European Tour victory.The 2018 Ryder Cup captainThomas Bjorn, meanwhile, will land in Qatar confident of a strongperformance on a course upon which he has played 13 times, and claimedvictory in 2011.The great Dane has made the weekend in ten of those13 appearances, with two top ten finishes to add to his win seven yearsago. He has been playing his way back into form early in the 2018campaign with ten of his 13 rounds thus far this season under par, sixof them sub-70.