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Shubhankar Sharma fires course record of 64 in Indian Open second round

Shubhankar Sharma had a mixed opening round at the Indian Open. Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

India's Shubhankar Sharma stormed into contention for a remarkable third win in nine events after firing a course-record 64 in the second round of the Hero Indian Open.

Sharma currently tops the European Tour's Race to Dubai after victories in the Joburg Open and Maybank Championship and finished ninth in the WGC-Mexico Championship on Sunday after leading by two shots heading into the final round.

That meant the 21-year-old only arrived in Delhi on Tuesday afternoon and he looked to be heading for an early exit after starting his first round from the 10th and covering the back nine in 41.

However, Sharma came home in 32 to finish one over par and carried on where he left off on Friday with nine birdies and a solitary bogey, including an 11-shot improvement on the back nine.

At seven under par Sharma trails Argentina's Emiliano Grillo by four shots after Grillo made the most of his sponsor's invite to add a 68 to his opening 65 at DLF Golf and Country Club.

"Today's round will definitely rank up there as one of my most significant achievements, especially when it is played at this course," Sharma said. "This is a tough course and it is not easy to go low here. I'm very happy with the way I played. I've shot a few low numbers in my career and this one is in my top five.

"If you told me I would be seven under par going into the weekend after being five over par on my opening nine holes I would just have laughed. To be able to bounce back is really important, I knew I was playing well and I had to push myself a little.

"I knew the course record was seven under par. To hold the record on my home course would mean a lot to me and that was why I decided to go for the green [on the par-five 18th]."

Grillo, who carded five birdies and one bogey in his 68, told Sky Sports: "I actually thought I played better today than yesterday, I just didn't hole as many putts. That was the difference.

"It was definitely two good days out there. I hit a lot of fairways and greens and hopefully I can keep that up in the next two days."

England's Andrew Johnston and Spain's Pablo Larrazabal share third place on six under par, but Matteo Manassero slipped from six under to two over after playing the seventh to the 15th in eight over, despite two birdies.