Viraj Madappa and Subash Tamang share lead at Bengaluru Open

Kolkata’s Viraj Madappa and Nepal’s Subash Tamang fired matching six-under 65s to share the opening-round lead at the ₹1 crore Bengaluru Open 2025 powered by IndianOil, being played at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) course.

Five players — Sri Lanka’s N Thangaraja, Bangladesh’s Md Muaj, Lucknow’s Sanjeev Kumar, Chandigarh’s Akshay Sharma, and Greater Noida’s Saptak Talwar — followed closely at five-under 66. Among local hopefuls, Chikkarangappa S, Mari Muthu R, Manoj S, and defending champion Abhinav Lohan carded 69s to sit tied-19th.

Madappa, who made history at KGA in 2018 as the youngest Indian to win an international title at age 20, used his course familiarity to full effect. “I missed my practice round as I was overseas last week, but KGA feels like home,” he said. “My caddie Selva knows every inch of this course — that definitely helped. I’ve been striking it well this season, just need to put four solid rounds together.”

Tamang, the 2023 Asian Games silver medallist, continued his fine form with a flawless back-nine, picking up five birdies before adding two more on the front side. “My driving and putting were excellent today. I’ve been in good rhythm lately, and that confidence carried through,” he said.

Returning for its fourth edition after six years, the Bengaluru Open has drawn a strong field and is supported by IndianOil, Britannia, and Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield. The event marks another milestone for the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), showcasing both established names and emerging regional talent.

Photo – PGTI