Ahmedabad, March 12 – Rashid Khan shot a six-under 66 to take the lead in the first round of the US$300,000 (INR 2.7 crore) Indorama Ventures Golf Championship 2026, being held at the Kalhaar Blues & Greens Golf Club in Ahmedabad.
Rashid, based in Delhi, who has won 14 titles, including two on the international stage, scored seven birdies and one bogey on Thursday to take the lead.
American Jhared Hack, who won the first event of the season, came in second after carding a five-under 67 in the first round.
Hack's round featured six birdies and one bogey.
Five golfers, including Arjun Prasad, Brijesh Kumar, Saptak Talwar, Manav Bais, and Kartik Singh, were tied for third place after returning scores of four-under 68.
Rashid Khan scored two birdies and one bogey on the back nine. The 35-year-old, who is looking to end a seven-year title drought, then scored five birdies on the front nine to take the lead.
Rashid said, “The course is playing well, different from last time, and the pin positions are tricky. But I was able to make some good shots and putts, and create opportunities for myself by placing the ball in the right places. I don't have any expectations and just want to give it my best from here on.”
Besides Jhared Hack, other foreign players who had a good outing in the first round were French players Clement Sordet and Pierre Pineau, as well as Austrian Christoph Bleier, all of whom scored three-under 69 to be tied eighth.
Among the Ahmedabad-based professionals, Aditya Raj Kumar Chauhan had the best opening round, scoring a 70 to be tied 15th.
Pre-tournament favourites Veer Ahlawat (71) and Yuvraj Sandhu (73) were placed tied 22nd and tied 41st, respectively.
