Khalin Joshi and Veer Ahlawat take opening day honours at TATA Open

Khalin Joshi and Veer Ahlawat took the opening day honours at the TATA Open, the PGTI’s season-finale, by returning identical cards of seven-under 63, here Thursday. In round one, one half of the field played its 18 holes at Beldih Golf Club while the other half of the field played its 18 holes at the Golmuri Golf Club. In round two, both halves of the field will switch venues. Khalin and Veer shot scores of seven-under 63 at Golmuri to be the joint clubhouse leaders as round one could not be completed on Thursday.

Bangladesh’s Md Siddikur Rahman struck a six-under 64 at Golmuri to be third in the clubhouse. Ten players out of a total of 126 could not complete their first round on Thursday when play was suspended due to fading light. The 10 players will resume their rounds at 7 am on Friday. Ahlawat, a two-time winner this year and a winner in Jamshedpur at the TATA Steel Tour Championship last year, scored eight birdies in exchange for a bogey to make his way to the top on day one.

“I’ve played well in Jamshedpur over the past few years so I know the two courses well and I know how to adapt to both courses. I struck it well off the tee today and made the most of my chances on the greens,” Ahlawat said. “I’ll now look to shoot a five or six under at Beldih in round two that could place me well at the halfway stage.” Joshi also mixed eight birdies with a bogey to share the lead with Veer. “It’s important to adapt quickly to the greens this week. I did that well today and putted well within the five feet range,” said Joshi.