Ahmedabad, March 13 – Brijesh Kumar and Jhared Hack both shot rounds of 69 and 70, respectively, to be tied for the lead on the second day of the US$300,000 (INR 2.7 crore) Indorama Ventures Open Golf Championship 2026, being held at the Kalhaar Blues & Greens Golf Club in Ahmedabad.
Brijesh Kumar (68-69) and Jhared Hack (67-70) were tied for the lead with a total score of 137. Indian golfer Brijesh had five birdies and two bogeys, moving up from his overnight tied third place, while American golfer Jhared had four birdies and two bogeys, moving up from his overnight second place.
Dhruv Sheoran shot a second consecutive 69 to finish in third place with a score of 138.
The quartet consisting of India's Saptak Talwar, Frenchmen Clement Sordet and Pierre Pineau, and Austria's Christoph Bleier, were tied for fourth place with a score of 139.
Round one leader Rashid Khan slipped to eighth place with a score of 140 after carding a 74 in the second round.
The cut line was at four-over 148. Sixty-two professionals made the cut.
Brijesh Kumar, who won on the DP World PGTI NexGen last season, finished within five feet of the pin on the day. However, Brijesh's highlight of the day was his 20-foot birdie conversion on the 18th.
Brijesh said, "I hit my tee shots with great precision today and therefore made most fairways. I was also sharp with my game around the greens. Winning on the NexGen last season gave me a lot of confidence, and now my goal is to win on the DP World PGTI. It will be important for me to continue in the same rhythm and look to finish well."
Jhared Hack, the winner of the season's first event, made two conversions from a range of 15 to 30 feet and scored birdies on two out of the four Par-5 holes.
Jhared said, "I putted well in round one and drove well today. The hot weather here in Ahmedabad is similar to Las Vegas and Florida, where I have played a lot of golf, so I am accustomed to these conditions. It is a great golf course, one of the best I have played in India so far. I am pleased about putting myself in a good position and look forward to contending this week."