Gujarat Open: Manu Gandas shoots 31

Gurugram’s Manu Gandas channeled the confidence from his past triumph at Glade One Golf Resort & Club in Ahmedabad, delivering a flawless five-under 31 in the opening round of the INR 1 crore Glade One presents Gujarat Open 2025.

Chandigarh’s Yuvraj Sandhu, fresh off his season-opening victory in Kolkata last week, and Mhow’s Om Prakash Chouhan matched each other with four-under 32s, sharing second place. Meanwhile, Karnal’s Rohit Narwal and Hyderabad’s Mohd Azhar carded three-under 33s to sit tied for fourth.

Defending champion Abhinav Lohan posted a two-under 34, putting himself in a tie for sixth place.

The format of the event sees the first two rounds played over nine holes each, with a cut applied after 18 holes. The final two rounds will extend to 18 holes each, making it a 54-hole contest. The course is set at par 36 for the first two rounds.

Gandas was in full control on Tuesday, consistently finding fairways and capitalizing on his birdie opportunities at a venue where he has previously thrived. The eight-time PGTI champion drained three long-range birdies, including a stunning 30-footer on the ninth hole. He also set up two close-range birdies, one courtesy of a brilliant bunker recovery.

Reflecting on his round, Manu said, “I struck the ball well today, missing just one fairway. My putting was sharp and I gave myself plenty of scoring opportunities. Having won here in 2022, I feel comfortable on this course.

“Last week in Kolkata, my game wasn’t quite where I wanted it to be, so I needed a strong start here. I’m happy to have stuck to my plan and posted a solid score on day one, giving myself a strong platform to build on.”

Ahmedabad’s Varun Parikh emerged as the best-placed local professional, signing for an even-par 36 to sit tied for 36th.

Photo – PGTI