Indian Open: Gritty Ajeetesh one shot off 3-way Rd 1 lead

Belgium's Colsaerts and Sweden's Kinhult take lead with 4-under 68 before being joined late in the day for a 3-way tie at the top by England's Armitage

- N Ananthanarayanan

GURUGRAM: Ajeetesh Sandhu produced a fine early run in the opening round of the $2.25 million Hero Indian Open on Thursday, even briefly enjoying the lead before the unforgiving DLF Golf and Country Club course took one shot back on the toughest hole, the 17th.

Belgium's 42-year-old Nicolas Colsaerts and Sweden's Marcus Kinhult took the lead with 4-under 68 rounds before being joined for a three-way tie at the top by England's in-form Marcus Armitage, who went 5-under after the 17th only to find the penalty area from the 18th tee to finish with a bogey on the final hole.

Sandhu's effort was heartening. The 36-year-old's golf has been up and down in the last two years, after a 2023 season blighted by a hip issue. His excellent 3-under par 69 in more benign morning conditions left him in a six-way tie for fourth in this DP World Tour event.