Kolkata: Samarth Dwivedi and Gagan Verma led a pack of closely placed rivals in the opening round of the Tata Steel Eastern India Amateur Golf Championship being played at the Mecca of Indian golf – the Par 72 Royal Calcutta Golf Club here on Tuesday.

Gagan and Samarth shot an identical 1–under par 71 to lead the chasing pack of BR Raja, Aman Raj, Tutul Ali and Karan Taunk who are all one stroke behind the leaders. Udayan Mane and Ainesh Ahluwalia were tied for the seventh place at 73.

Samarth after a steady start picked up momentum while making back to back birdies on the fourth and fifth hole. However he lost three shots on the last four holes of his front nine which was also laced with birdie on the seventh hole to take the turn at level par. Reducing the number of mistakes on his return journey the Thailand-based amateur made a lone bogey on the 14th hole while making birdies on the 12th and 15th holes to submit a card of 71.

Gagan Verma meanwhile began with a flourish making a birdie on the opening hole while saving one more stroke on the 4th hole. After a bogey on the fifth hole Gagan ended his front nine on a happier note making a birdie on the ninth. A couple of bogeys on the 11th and 14th holes were followed by a birdie on the 16th hole as he finished the day at 71.

With the players in neck to neck position, an exciting finish is on the cards.

Top scores after 18 holes

71 Samarth Dwivedi, Gagan Verma; 72 BR Raja, Aman Raj, Tutul Ali, Karan Taunk; 73 Udayan Mane, Ainesh Ahluwalia; 74 Viraj Madappa, Jaibir Singh; 75 Karanbir Chaudhary, Pukhraj Singh Gill, Manav Das, Syed Saqib Ahmed.