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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.

Shubhankar Sharma, the 27-year-old Indian golfer, is poised to make a strong run at the upcoming Indian Open, a tournament he considers the "fifth major." Sharma, who finished tied seventh in the 2018 edition, is hoping to end India's 15-year drought without a homegrown winner.Sharma's confidence stems from his recent form, which includes a tied-second finish in Singapore. He believes the parallels between his current situation and his performance in 2018 provide him with a sense of hope and belief.Over the past six years, Sharma has matured both as a golfer and as a person. His game has become more refined, his tee shots have become longer and sharper, and his training regimen has become more regimented. However, some things have remained constant, such as his love for the Gurugram course, which he considers his second home.Sharma acknowledges that the Indian Open is a challenging course, with thick roughs and narrow fairways. He emphasizes the importance of hitting the fairway and executing precise approach shots. Despite the difficulty of the course, Sharma believes that local knowledge will give him an advantage.The field for the Indian Open is strong, with the likes of Gaganjeet Bhullar and Anirban Lahiri also in contention. However, Sharma is confident that he can be one of the Indians to challenge for the title."It is one of the strongest Indian fields ever assembled at the Indian Open," Sharma said. "While we have not had an Indian winner for some time, I think this weekend, we will surely have a few in contention. I certainly want to be one of those."