Four-way tie for lead on day one of Coal India Open at Kensville

Anshul Kabthiyal of the AEPTA course in New Delhi on his way into a four-way share of the opening day’s Coal India Open lead at the Kensville course in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Image courtesy PGTI.

By Rahul Banerji

Four players shared the opening round lead of the inaugural Coal India Open at Kensville Golf and Country Club in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

Showing little rust from the summer break, Noida GC’s Amardeep Malik, Anshul Kabthiyal of AEPTA, Delhi, and Chandigarh’s Angad Cheema and Karandeep Kochhar, were on 3 under par 69s, the PGTI said.

In a tie for fifth on 2 under 70 were merit leader Yuvraj Sandhu of Chandigarh, Ahmedabad-based Om Prakash Chouhan, Bangalore teenager Manoj S. and Ravi Kumar from Chandimandir.

The first day of the 2025 season’s second half featured high scores as the players found it tough to read the tricky greens at Kensville. 

However, Kabthiyal, 20, negotiated the conditions well with three birdies on the back nine and a birdie and bogey each on the front nine.

“I hardly missed a green today as I struck the ball well. The putting was also good with the only blemish being the three-putt for bogey on the sixth,” Kabthiyal said. 

Best moment

“My best moment today was a recovery for birdie on 14 after landing my tee shot in the trees. 

“I’ve worked a lot on my mindset during the mid-season break and I’m hoping that will make a big difference in my game.”

Cheema, winner of the final event ahead of the break and a consistent performer through the season, had a quiet front nine with pars all the way before firing in five birdies and a double-bogey.

Cheema, currently 10^th on the PGTI Order of Merit, said, “After a good first half to the season, this round gives me a great opportunity to carry forward the momentum into the second half.”

Amardeep Malik mixed five birdies with two bogeys during his opening round. “I’m extremely happy about today’s effort. I didn’t expect to be in the lead with a three-under score,” he said later.

“The highlight of the round has to be the 50-footer I sank for birdie on the fifth. The high scores are a reflection of how tough the greens are playing here at Kensville.”

Ahmedabad’s Varun Parikh shot a 74 to be placed tied 32^nd as the best-placed of the local golfers.

Also read: PGTI season resumes with inaugural Rs 1 crore Coal India Open