Indian Hopes Dim as Foreigners Dominate Hero Indian Open Opening Day

The Hero Indian Open, often referred to as the National Open, has witnessed a dearth of Indian winners in recent years. The last local triumph came in 2017, and the opening day of the 2023 edition suggests that the drought may continue.

On a day of low scoring, Dutchman Joost Luiten, Japan's Keita Nakajima, and Italy's Matteo Manassero emerged as the frontrunners, all carding seven-under rounds. Luiten and Nakajima displayed aggressive play, while Manassero navigated the course bogey-free.

India's hopes were pinned on OP Chouhan, Aman Raj, and Karandeep Kochhar, who finished tied 14th with four-under rounds. Chouhan, who earned his European card by topping the 2023 PGTI money list, attributed his success to a new set of irons.

Chouhan's round was highlighted by birdies on the par 5 fourth, par 3 fifth, and par 5 eighth holes. However, bogeys on the 14th and 18th holes prevented him from finishing in the top 10.

Raj, 28, also had a solid round, making three birdies and a bogey on the front nine and two birdies on the back. Kochhar, 24, came into his own towards the end of the day, making three birdies and a bogey on each nine.

Disappointment struck Shubhankar Sharma and Anirban Lahiri. Sharma finished tied 34th with a two-under round, while Lahiri, the 2015 winner, had a disastrous day with seven bogeys.

Tags: #HeroIndianOpen, #IndianGolf, #JoostLuiten, #KeitaNakajima, #MatteoManassero