Matteo Manassero carded a bogey-free, 7-under 65 featuring an eagle at the par-5 8th for a share of the lead at the Hero Indian Open.
“Today was a really special day. Every time a tournament starts there’s a blank page. You prepare but on a course like this things can go the wrong way very easily.
“Today from the tee and into the greens I was extremely solid, so I’m really pleased about that and the result with not making any bogeys on a course like this. Seven under par is really good.”
The Italian won his first title since 2013 at the Jonsson Workwear Open earlier this month after regaining his DP World Tour card.
The Netherlands’ Joost Luiten set the early pace with his own 65 in spite of back-to-back bogeys at the 3rd and 4th holes and was joined by Japan’s Keita Nakajima who made a single bogey at the 14th.
France’s Romain Langasque is tied in fourth place at 6-under alongside England’s Sam Bairstow and Jordan Smith who remained bogey-free and eagled the par-5 18th.