Shubhankar Sharma Struggles at European Masters as Paul Casey Takes Lead

Shubhankar Sharma's Performance at the European Masters

In Crans Montana, Switzerland, Shubhankar Sharma faced challenges on the third day of the European Masters after two strong initial rounds. The 30-year-old, who has won twice on the DP World Tour, recorded scores of 64 and 68 in the first two rounds but stumbled with a 74 on the third day, which included two double bogeys.

Following this round, Sharma dropped to a tie for 50th place, having started the tournament tied for second after the first day and tied for eighth after the second. His third round featured two birdies, two bogeys, and two double bogeys, resulting in a disappointing slide down the leaderboard.

Meanwhile, Paul Casey surged ahead with a three-shot lead going into the final round at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club. The English golfer, who began the day four shots back, delivered an impressive performance, carding a 63 to reach a total of sixteen under par.

Casey began with two pars before a birdie at the par-three third hole ignited a streak of six birdies over seven holes, allowing him to turn at 29 and establish a solid lead at 15 under par.

Despite facing changing wind conditions on the back nine, Casey managed to maintain his advantage, recording only one mistake at the par-five 14th, where his second shot found the water. He quickly recovered with a birdie on the next hole and capped off his round with another birdie, extending his lead to three shots ahead of the final day.

As a 15-time DP World Tour champion, Casey is eager to secure another title, which would hold special significance for him as he now resides in Switzerland. He plans to donate all of his prize money from this week to Foundation Beloved, a charity aiding those affected by the New Year’s Day tragedy in Crans-Montana.

Chasing Casey are Austrian Maximilian Steinlechner and Erik Van Rooyen, both of whom shot rounds of 63 to tie for second place, alongside Spanish players Eugenio Chacarra and Nacho Elvira, who are at 13 under par.

Steinlechner played a bogey-free round, achieving five birdies on the front nine and two more on the back, while Van Rooyen recorded nine birdies but also had two bogeys. Chacarra and Elvira joined the chase with rounds of 65 and 68, respectively, keeping their hopes alive in the 2026 Race to Dubai.