Delhi golfer Rashid Khan lit up the Kalhar Blues & Greens Golf Club on Thursday, firing a flawless six-under-par 66 to seize the lead after day one of the prestigious Indorama Ventures Open Golf Championship 2026. The $300,000 tournament in Ahmedabad is already delivering edge-of-your-seat action.
With 14 titles under his belt—two on the international stage—Khan silenced doubters by ending a seven-year winless streak. Seven birdies highlighted his round, offset by a single bogey. He dominated the front nine with five birdies, then steadied with two more on the back against one slip-up.
Post-round, the 35-year-old was upbeat: ‘Course conditions were superb, pins tougher than last visit. Good shots, solid putts, and smart ball placement gave me the edge. I’ll keep pushing my best.’
Season opener winner Jared Hack trails by one at 67 (five-under), boasting six birdies and a bogey. A quintet at four-under 68—Arjun Prasad, Brijesh Kumar, Saptak Talwar, Manav Bassi, Kartik Singh—lurks closely in third.
Notable overseas efforts came from France’s Clement Sordet, Pierre Pinu, and Austria’s Christoph Blauer, all at three-under 69 for eighth. Local pros shone with Aditya Raj Kumar Chauhan’s 70 (15th), followed by Veer Ahlawat (71, 22nd) and Yuvraj Sandhu (73, 41st).
Khan’s surge has shifted the momentum in this high-stakes event. As contenders sharpen their games on the challenging layout, the battle for the trophy—and the lion’s share of the purse—intensifies. Stay tuned for round two fireworks.