Karandeep Kochhar took the first round lead in the Golconda Masters 2020

Key Highlights -

. Karandeep Kochhar takes the charge with opening day 63 and enjoys one-shot lead at Golconda Masters 2020.

. Aman Raj, Trishul Chinnappa and Khalin Joshi also shine with rounds of 64 to be tied second.

{Press Release}: Chandigarh golfer Karandeep Kochhar carrying forward his blistering form into the 2020 season as he shot a masterly eight-under-63 to seize the first-round lead at the season-opening Vooty & Haldi Presents Golconda Masters 2020 Powered by Telangana Tourism being played at the Hyderabad Golf Club (HGC).

The 20-year-old Kochhar, who became the youngest-ever
winner on the PGTI back in 2016 at age 17 years and five months while still an
amateur, enjoyed a one-stroke advantage over Patna’s Aman Raj and the Bengaluru
duo of Trishul Chinnappa and Khalin Joshi, all three of whom posted 64s.

Karandeep, who went bogey-free on Wednesday, said, “I was in contention here last year and played in the leader group in the final round before ending up fourth. I really like this venue as the greens are similar to those at my home course, the Chandigarh Golf Club.

Aman Raj, the joint runner-up at last year’s Golconda
Masters, once again displayed he has what it takes to negotiate the tough
conditions at the HGA. The Asian Tour regular, who had shot three rounds of 64
at the 2019 edition, came up with another 64 on Wednesday to make an impact
early on in the tournament.

Aman said, “It was a fairly consistent day for me. I’m happy to have kept the errors out. I got on a roll towards the end and could’ve made a fifth consecutive birdie had my eight-feet putt not lipped out on the closing ninth. I made a really good par save from eight feet on the 13th after hitting it over the green.

Trishul Chinnappa began his season with an eagle-two as
he holed his approach from 117 yards on the par-4 first hole. Chinnappa added
seven birdies and two bogeys thereafter.

Khalin Joshi, struggling with a neck injury coming into
the tournament, too began the tournament with an eagle when he rolled in his
wedge shot from just off the green on his opening 10th hole. Joshi added seven
birdies and two bogeys to his card joined Aman and Trishul in a three-way tie
for second place.

Five players were bunched together in tied fifth with rounds of 65. This included Sri Lankan Mithun Perera, Mhow’s Om Prakash Chouhan, Ludhiana’s Pukhraj Singh Gill, Gurugram’s Veer Ahlawat and Kolkata’s Shankar Das.