Johannesburg, March 7: Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma made an impressive start at the 2025 Joburg Open, carding a solid four-under 66 to finish tied-17th after the opening round. Sharma, who famously won his maiden DP World Tour title at the same tournament in 2017, is eyeing another strong run.
Sharma’s performance was marked by five birdies offset by just one bogey, highlighting a confident beginning in Johannesburg. Starting his round from the 10th tee, Sharma quickly gained momentum, picking up birdies at the 10th, 14th, and 15th holes. His only setback came on the Par-3 16th, where he recorded his lone bogey. Unfazed, Sharma bounced back with additional birdies on holes one and five to round out his impressive day.
In contrast, fellow Indian Veer Ahlawat faced challenges, finishing with a disappointing three-over 73 to sit tied-127th. Ahlawat started promisingly, opening his front nine with consecutive birdies. However, he soon faltered with a double bogey followed by two more bogeys, turning in two-over. The struggles continued despite another birdie-birdie start on the back nine, as three bogeys in his last four holes ultimately weighed down his scorecard. Ahlawat must significantly improve his play in the second round to make the weekend cut.
China's rising star Wenyi Ding, who notably turned professional late last year, showcased his exceptional talent by shooting a bogey-free seven-under 63. Ding's decision to forego his spot at the prestigious Masters Tournament—earned through his victory at the 2024 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championships—appears justified with this commanding performance. He shares the overnight lead with England’s Jordan Smith, who matched Ding’s flawless round of 63.
Trailing closely behind by a single stroke are South Africans Malcolm Mitchell and Jayden Schaper, Englishmen Marco Penge and Callum Tarren, and Germany's Nicolai Von Dellingshausen, each carding impressive six-under rounds of 64.
With Sharma’s steady start putting him in contention early, all eyes will be on his continued progress, while Ahlawat seeks redemption in the upcoming rounds.
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