Gaganjeet Bhullar opens with a modest 73, Shubhankar struggles at Irish Open

Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar got off to a steady start at the Irish Open as he brought home a card of one-under 71 to lie tied-73rd at the Mount Juliet Club on Thursday.`

Bhullar, the winner of the 2020 Tour Championship, made two birdies against a single bogey to keep himself motivated for the upcoming challenge at the European Tour’s €3,000,000 prize money event.

Shubhankar, the other Indian playing in the event, finished his first round with a 2-over par score after a rollercoaster day at the golf course.

The 24-year-old Shubhankar, who started the event with a birdie, added four more birdies, but a bogey on fifth, a double-bogey on ninth and a quadruple bogey on the 18th thwarted all his hard work into vain.

Lucas Herbert of Australia leads the 2021 Irish Open after carding a spectacular 8-under 64 at Mount Juliet.

Herbert shot nine birdies and a bogey to claim the top spot after the end of day one. While, Johannes Veerman of the United States played a flawless round of 7-under 65 to sit one shot back off the lead.

Shane Lowry is six shots off the lead after his two-under opening round, while Rory McIlroy was level par, and Padraig Harrington struggled to a four-over 76 at the Mount Juliet course.

Defending Champion John Catlin carded 3-under to take tied 37th position heading into the second round.