Japan tour

DP World Tour: Joost Luiten of Netherlands, a regular at the Indian Open, shot 7-under 67 and then called the DLF Golf and Country Club “a demanding course” but also confessed that he likes it. Luiten is a six-time winner on the DP World Tour but has been winless on the tour since 2018.

At the end of the first round, among the co-leaders was the incredible young talent from Japan, Keita Nakajima, who spent a record 87 weeks as the World’s No.1 amateur before turning pro in 2022 and winning three more times and emerging as No.1 in Japan Tour -– an achievement that earned him a card into the DP World Tour. Then there was Matteo Manassero from the Netherlands, another former World No.1 amateur in 2009, who by 2012 became the first teenager to win three times in Europe. Then he did not win till earlier this month. His bogey-free 65 indicated the resurgence continues.

The bunch at 4-under and Tied-14 included three Indians – Aman Raj and Om Prakash Chouhan, who had their best cards at this course, and Karandeep Kochhar, who joined them later.