Kshitij Naveed Kaul shoots 62 to lead DP World Players Championship in Delhi

Kshitij Naveed Kaul opened with a flawless 8-under 62 to take the first-round lead at the INR 1.5 crore DP World Players Championship at the Qutab Golf Course in New Delhi.

Playing one of his favourite venues, Kaul was in complete control on the par-70 layout, continuing his strong run after a fourth-place finish last week in Naya Raipur. He had also set the course record here last season with a 10-under 60.

Honey Baisoya sits second after an error-free 7-under 63, while American Jhared Hack, Kushal Singh, Dhruv Sheoran and Akshay Sharma are tied third at 6-under 64.

Former DP World PGTI Order of Merit champion Veer Ahlawat opened with a 5-under 65 to be tied seventh.

Kaul’s round was built around precision off the tee and sharp wedge play. He collected five birdies on the front nine, including a run of four in a row, and added three more on the back to pull clear of the field.

“My driving and bunker shots were top-notch today,” Kaul said. “At this course, hitting good wedge shots from longer range is really important, and I managed to do that well.”

Baisoya followed up his strong showing at the season-opener with another composed round, picking up four birdies on the back nine and three on the front.

Hack and Kushal Singh also impressed with their wedge play, staying in close contention as scoring remained low on the opening day.

With one round complete, Kaul holds the early advantage as the field looks to close the gap heading into round two at Qutab.

Photo – PGTI / Kshitij Naveed Kaul