Staff WriterThe Delhi Challenge kicked off in grand style at Classic Golf & Country Club in Gurugram, with Jesper Sandborg setting a lively tone right from the start.
In a day when the gods of golf seemed to be smiling, Sandborg – the final starter – fired off a trio of birdies early on before adding nine in total (three coming in his final three holes) and only two bogeys to establish an impressive benchmark.
“I started by missing a couple of short putts at the beginning but then began to roll some in,” Sandborg said. “I hit my driver well which gave me a lot of opportunities, so it was a good day.
It’s easy when you get in this position to be a bit defensive but I’m just going to keep pushing tomorrow.
I was first reserve yesterday, so I only just got into the field, so I’m happy that I’m playing. I’m looking forward to it tomorrow.”
It wasn’t just Jesper making waves. Under the perfect morning conditions, Jamie Rutherford, Quim Vidal, and Udayan Mane all signed for seven under-par rounds of 65, propelling them into a share of the lead. Rutherford – fresh off a maiden HotelPlanner Tour win at the Cell C Cape Town Open and now sitting third in the Road to Mallorca Rankings – made his move by turning one under par at the turn and finishing with an eagle on his final hole.
“I played solid pretty much all day and then had a really good finish which obviously helps,” Rutherford said. “The conditions were perfect this morning too with not much breeze. It was gettable if you played well.
I feel like my game’s been good for a while now. Last week, I was a little off it and didn’t play that great, so it’s nice to bounce back and shoot a good score today.
I’m feeling very confident and hopefully I can stay near the top of the leaderboard.”
Over in the mix, Quim Vidal surged ahead with four birdies in his closing holes, while India’s Udayan Mane – acutely aware of the challenges posed by a Jack Nicklaus–designed course – carved out his own share of the lead by nailing his tee shots and keeping his fairways in check.
“I played well in Kolkata last week but the errant shots there were a lot more penal than they are here today,” Mane said. “This golf course is easy on the eye for the tee shots, and I drove it really well today.
I hit most of the fairways and I was happy to see the driver behaving. I drove it the way I needed to, week-in week-out.”
Late starter Angad Cheema made his mark by beginning on the tenth tee and, after finding himself two under par with seven holes remaining, built momentum with consecutive gains – including three straight birdies from the seventh hole – to join the leaders.
Meanwhile, American Davis Bryant and Frenchman Oihan Guillamoundeguy, who currently share sixth place, trailed by a single stroke.
Adding to the international flavour of the day, eight players – including Spaniard Albert Boneta, Italian Gregorio de Leo, German Tiger Christensen, and Indian Honey Baisoya – were locked in a tight battle at five under par.
As the sun set on this opening round of the Delhi Challenge, anticipation is already building for tomorrow’s second round, which kicks off at 6:50 am local time.
Sandborg is set to tee off alongside Frenchman Maxence Giboudot and Dutchman Vince van Veen at 11:35 am, promising another day of exhilarating golf on a course where precision and flair meet.
With such a mix of seasoned performers and emerging talent, the Delhi Challenge is poised to deliver more twists, turns, and plenty of talking points that even the most seasoned golf fans will relish.
