Ahmedabad, Aug 5 (IANS) The opening round of the inaugural Coal India Open ended with the quartet of Noida-based Amardeep Malik, 20-year-old Delhi golfer Anshul Kabthiyal, and Chandigarh golfers Angad Cheema and Karandeep Kochhar, sharing the lead at three-under 69 in the INR 1 crore prize-money event being played at the Kensville Golf & Country Club here on Tuesday.

Close on the heels of the leaders, the four players bunched in tied fifth with scores of two-under 70 were PGTI Order of Merit leader Yuvraj Sandhu of Chandigarh, former PGTI Order of Merit champion Om Prakash Chouhan of Mhow, Bengaluru teenager Manoj S., and Ravi Kumar from Chandimandir.

The first day of competition in the first competition in the 2025 PGTI season’s second half featured high scores as the players found it tough to read the tricky greens at Kensville. However, young Anshul Kabthiyal negotiated the conditions well by making three birdies on the back nine and following that up with a birdie and bogey each on the front nine.

“I hardly missed a green today as I struck the ball well. The putting was also good, with the only blemish being the three-putt for bogey on the sixth. My best moment today was a great recovery for a birdie on the 14th after landing my tee shot in the trees. I’ve worked a lot on my mindset during the mid-season break, and I’m hoping that will make a big difference in my game,” Anshul said.

Angad Cheema, a winner this year and one of the most consistent performers through the 2025 season, had a quiet front-nine with pars all the way before an eventful back-nine where he scored five birdies and a double-bogey.

“After a good first half to the season, this round gives me a great opportunity to carry forward the momentum into the second half,” Angad, currently placed 10th on the PGTI Order of Merit, said.

Amardeep Malik mixed five birdies with two bogeys during his opening round.

Amardeep said, “I’m extremely happy about today’s effort. I didn’t expect to be in the lead with a three-under score. The highlight of the round has to be the 50-footer I sank for birdie on the fifth. The high scores are a reflection of how tough the greens are playing here at Kensville.”

Ahmedabad’s Varun Parikh shot a 74 to be placed tied 32nd. He was the highest-placed among the local golfers.

–IANS

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