Mail News Service
Jamshedpur: Khalin Joshi and Veer Ahlawat made a flying start to the TATA Open 2025, sharing the opening-day lead at the Rs 2 crore season-finale on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), being played across the Beldih and Golmuri golf courses in steel city.
With the field split between the two venues in the first round, Joshi and Ahlawat both returned impressive seven-under-par 63s at the Golmuri Golf Course to sit atop the clubhouse leaderboard.
The first round, however, remained incomplete as fading light forced suspension of play on Thursday. Bangladesh’s Md Siddikur Rahman stayed close behind after carding a six-under 64 at Golmuri to occupy third place.
A total of 10 players from the 126-strong field were unable to finish their rounds and will resume play at 7 am on Friday. The two groups will switch courses in round two.
Veer Ahlawat, a two-time winner this season and the defending champion in Jamshedpur following his triumph at last year’s TATA Steel Tour Championship, showcased his comfort on the local layouts with eight birdies against a lone bogey. “I’ve played well in Jamshedpur over the past few years, so I know both courses well and how to adapt to them,” Ahlawat said. “I struck the ball well off the tee today and made the most of my chances on the greens. A five or six under at Beldih in round two would put me in a strong position at the halfway stage.
Khalin Joshi matched Ahlawat’s effort, also firing eight birdies and conceding just one bogey to share the lead. “The key this week is adapting quickly to the greens,” Joshi said, adding, “I managed that well today and putted confidently, especially from within five feet.”
With favourable scores already on the board and several players yet to complete round one, the stage is set for an intriguing contest as the TATA Open 2025 gathers momentum.
