Freddy Schott fired eight birdies and two bogeys to close with a 6-under 66 and take the clubhouse lead at the Hero Indian Open where play was suspended overnight due to darkness.

Players yet to finish Round 1 will be restarting at 07:35 local time.

Schott won his first DP World Tour title at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship last month.

“Very, very pleased, really solid out there today… yeah, it was pretty much a flawless round of golf. Two drops but at least those were the most difficult holes so it’s alright,” said the German.

“I guess it might be the hardest course this year. Your game has to be so good overall, there’s not a thing which can leak.

“You’ve got to be very good off the tee to actually give yourself some chances, you’ve got to be good into the greens, hit the right areas, and make your putts so it’s a really tough, testing golf course.

“We said we’re going to be conservative off the tee most of the time, and then be aggressive into the greens when we’ve got a wedge in hand. Wedging was good today, putting was good, so that led to that score.

“It was obviously a massive confidence-booster for the year, winning in Bahrain, but I just want to keep on going and see where that leads me and hopefully we can have a nice week out here.”

Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra made seven birdies and two bogeys for a 67 and lies in second place at 5-under.

“Good round after not one of the best starts. I hit a great shot on the first and missed a short one and another great shot on the second and ended up with a bogey,” said the defending champion.

“I think we did a tremendous job staying patient, playing the shot that’s required on this course. It’s a tricky course, it’s obviously been great to me but it’s just a hard course all round. I think it just suits my game because you need every shot and to move the ball both ways pretty well, and I tend to do that.

“It’s a week that changed my life, I’m here because of last [year], so obviously thankful to Hero for giving me the opportunity back in the day and it’s just lovely to be here,” he added.

“I think it’s a tournament that when I talk to my manager, one day if I’m on the PGA Tour or another tour, I’ll always love to come back.”

England’s Dan Bradbury lies in third place at 4-under having made two bogeys.

Denmark’s Niklas Nørgaard (3 bogeys), France’s Martin Couvra (two bogeys, one double bogey at the par-3 5th), Scotland’s Calum Hill (one bogey, one double bogey at the par-4 14th) and Italy’s Gregorio de Leo (one eagle at the par-5 8th, 3 bogeys) all carded 69s for a share of fourth place at 3-under.

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