Nuh, Haryana: The Indian duo of Udayan Mane and Angad Cheema posted scores of seven-under 65 to be part of the five-way lead on the opening day of the US$ 300,000 Delhi Challenge 2025, a HotelPlanner Tour & PGTI joint sanctioned event, being played at the Classic Golf & Country Club.

Mane had a bogey-free round while Cheema’s round featured eight birdies and a bogey. The two Indians share the lead with Spaniard Quim Vidal, Swede Jasper Sandborg and Englishman Jamie Rutherford.

Frenchmen Oihan Guillamoundeguy and Robin Sciot-Siegrist as well as American Davis Bryant were placed one shot off the lead in tied sixth position.

Honey Baisoya struck a 67 to be the third Indian in the top-10 as he occupied tied ninth position.

Welshman James Ashfield made a hole-in-one on the 11th during his round of 70. He was placed tied 47th.

Olympian Udayan Mane made three exceptional up and downs including two from the bunker to pick up birdies. Mane also sank three birdies from a range of nine to 15 feet.

Mane said, “I played well in RCGC last week but the errant shots there were a lot more penal than they are here at Classic. This golf course is easy on the eye for the tee shots and I drove it really well today. I hit most of the fairways and I was happy to see the driver behaving. I drove it the way I needed to week in and week out.

“The bunker shots were one of the highlights of my round today. I recently worked on my set up, I felt I was standing a little too far away, which led to a lot of inconsistency in my stroke. So now I’m standing taller and closer to the ball which has led to much better results from the bunker for me.”

Angad Cheema made a couple of long birdie conversions and landed his shots within three feet on three occasions to pick up birdies.