Germany’s Yannik Paul has overcome his limited preparation to produce a blistering finish and claim the lead after day one of the Indian Open.
Paul’s round started with a bogey and he was level par after eight holes on Thursday, but he birdied seven of the last 10 to card an opening 65 at th DLF Golf and Country Club in New Delhi.
That gave the 28-year-old a one-shot lead over India’s Honey Baisoya, with Finland’s Mikko Korhonen in third place on five under.
“I obviously played well today,” said Paul, who finished second in the Thailand Classic last week.
“I had a great finish, four birdies in the last four, that helps, but tomorrow is a new day so I’ll focus on what I can control and see where I end up.
“It’s my sixth week in a row so I took it pretty easy Monday through Wednesday.
“I just played a nine hole pro-am on Wednesday afternoon and then walked the back nine on Tuesday, just to conserve as much energy as I could because I knew it would be challenging here, mentally as well as with the golf shots.”
Paul’s late surge saw him overhaul long-time leader Baisoya, the world number 1108 carding eight birdies and a double bogey on the 14th in his 66.
Compatriots Shubhankar Sharma and Angad Cheema both shot 68 as the home players enjoyed the return of the event to the European Tour schedule for the first time since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Indian Open means a lot for the Indians and we played a lot of tournaments here,” Baisoya said. “They’re used to this course and it means a lot to them.”
Defending champion Stephen Gallacher bogeyed three of his last five holes as he struggled to an opening 77.
Leading Australian in the field, tied for eighth, was Anthony Quayle, whose two-under round of 70 featured five birdies in a blistering inward half of 31.
Discussion about this post