Hero Indian Open: Ajeetesh Just One Stroke Behind Round 1 Leaders
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Gurugram: Ajeetesh Sandhu delivered a commendable performance in the opening round of the $2.25 million Hero Indian Open on Thursday, briefly holding the lead before the challenging 17th hole at the DLF Golf and Country Club cost him a stroke.
Nicolas Colsaerts from Belgium, aged 42, and Sweden's Marcus Kinhult both secured the lead with rounds of 4-under 68. They were later joined at the top by England's Marcus Armitage, who reached 5-under after the 17th hole but ended with a bogey on the 18th after finding the penalty area from the tee.
Sandhu's performance was encouraging. The 36-year-old has experienced fluctuations in his game over the past two years, particularly following a hip issue that affected his 2023 season. His impressive 3-under par 69 in the more favorable morning conditions placed him in a six-way tie for fourth in this DP World Tour event.
“Breaking 70 on this course always brings joy,” Sandhu expressed. “I wouldn’t say anything was exceptional today, but everything was above average… I maintained my composure throughout the day and kept pushing forward,” he added.
Last year, he claimed victory at the PGTI’s Vishwa Samudra Open Presented by Kapil Dev on the domestic circuit, but inconsistent performances on the Asia Tour have limited his status on that tour. Veer Ahlawat, who finished tied for second in the 2024 Hero Indian Open, ended the day tied for 10th after shooting a 70. He made three consecutive birdies to reach 3-under before a bogey on the 17th hole.
Together, they somewhat compensated for a disappointing overall performance by Indian golfers in the national open championship. Shubhankar Sharma, considered India’s top contender, struggled to a 3-over 75 after a double bogey on his final hole, the par-4 ninth, having started from the 10th tee. The 28-year-old's quest for his first win since 2018 may extend due to his early difficulties.
Only seven out of the 30 Indian competitors managed to achieve a score of par or better, with two local players recording the lowest scores. However, two seasoned veterans of the European circuit, Shiv Kapur and SSP Chawrasia, managed to shoot even par rounds, which provided some relief. Chawrasia, who was the last Indian to win the Indian Open with consecutive victories in 2016 and 2017, leveraged his familiarity with the course to recover from being 3-over after 10 holes, finishing strong with two consecutive birdies.
At 37 years old, Armitage is enjoying a remarkable 2025 season on the DP World Tour. A tour winner in 2021, he currently ranks 16th in the Race to Dubai standings. He secured a fifth-place finish at the Singapore Classic, the opening event of the DP World Tour’s Asia Swing, following a second-place finish at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in January.
His putting was exceptional, with all seven birdies coming on par-4 holes, including a 20-foot putt on the 10th and a 12-foot putt on the 17th that briefly put him in the lead at 5-under. Despite a wayward tee shot that resulted in a bogey on the par-5 18th hole, Armitage expressed satisfaction with his performance. “This is not a course where you aim for the pin; you target specific areas. I hit the right spots and played solid golf,” he remarked after his round.
Armitage stood out among the competitors for his enjoyment of the firm greens. “It’s great to see some solid greens,” he commented. “I’m looking forward to tackling the course tomorrow.”
Japan’s defending champion, Keita Nakajima, recorded a 2-over 74, bogeying four of his first ten holes, placing him in a tie for 67th. Germany’s Marcel Siem, the 2023 champion, finished with a 76, which included four bogeys and a double bogey on the 17th. England’s John Parry, the highest-ranked player in the field at world No. 95, shot a one-under 71 while playing alongside Shubhankar.
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