Bangalore’s Khalin Joshi was on a roll on day one of the Rs 1 crore J&K Open at Royal Springs in Srinagar on Tuesday. Image courtesy DP World/PGTI.
By Rahul Banerji
Khalin Joshi shot a feisty opening-round to lead the Rs 1 crore J&K Open at the picturesque Royal Springs Golf Course in Srinagar on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old from Bangalore produced calculated golf that featured nine birdies and a lone bogey to hold a two-shot edge on the field, the DP World PGTI said.
Chandigarh’s Ajeetesh Sandhu and Gurgaon-based rookie Harman Sachdeva were tied for second place on 6 under 65.
Former Asian Tour winner Joshi began the second half of the DP World PGTI season in impressive fashion to follow up on his Andhra Open triumph in Visakhapatnam in April.
Two chip-ins highlighted his round, one from the left of the green on the par-three third and the other on the 15th.
“I putted really well and also chipped in twice, which was special because I hadn’t holed a chip in a long time. I’m very happy with the way I played today,” said Khalin.
Joshi has fond memories of Royal Springs, having previously performed well at the venue in 2014 and 2021. He said the relaxed surroundings helped him keep things light during his opening round.
Holiday feel
“We all treat coming to Srinagar like a holiday, with the golf being a bonus. The course is stunning and I don’t think any picture can do justice to this place.
‘It feels like we’re in heaven. I’m looking forward to enjoying the views and hopefully putting together three more good rounds,” he added.
Sandhu, playing alongside Joshi, had eight birdies and two bogeys in his card.
The 37-year-old made an wobbly start but settled into a good rhythm after striking his approach to four feet for a birdie on the difficult fourth hole.
“The birdie on the fourth changed the momentum and helped me settle down,” said Sandhu.
“I came into the event feeling fresh after spending a month at home, working in the gym and practising with my coach.”
Sandhu, a former Asian Tour winner, divides his time between the continental circuit and his home tour, and had consecutive fifth-place finishes at the Andhra Open and the Boulders Classic earlier in the season.
Playing his first competitive round in Srinagar after a long gap, Sandhu also enjoyed the return to Royal Springs.
Stress-free
“It’s great to be back. The scenery is beautiful, the people are welcoming and walking around this course helps take your mind off the usual stresses of competitive golf,” he said.
The 18-year-old Harman Sachdeva, in his rookie season, returned the only bogey-free round of the day, a 6 under 65.
Sachdeva has made seven starts this season, with a tied-fifth finish at the DP World Players Championship in Kolkata being his best result.
Gaurav Pratap Singh of Noida, Divyanshu Bajaj of Kolkata, Angad Cheema of Chandigarh, Rashid Khan of Delhi and the Czech Republic’s Stepan Danek were tied for fourth after shooting identical three-under 68s.
The par-four 11th hole was shortened and played as a par-three due to waterlogging caused by heavy rain over the last two days.
Also read: J&K Open heralds ‘back nine’ of DP World PGTI’s 2026 season
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