Manuel Elvira grabbed the first round lead in the Duncan Taylor Black Bull Challenge at the KGA course here with an excellent nine-under 63. It was the lowest round in a professional event at the KGA.
The 26-year-old from Spain made ten birdies and a single bogey on a hot and dry day. Elvira holds a one stroke lead over nearest rival, Welshman Oliver Farr.
“Everything was on point with my game today. I put myself in position off the tee, hit some really good approach shots and then managed to hole my putts and make some birdies,” Elvira said.
Aman Raj and M. Dharma — both tied-third at five-under — were the best Indian performers. Aman, fresh from a win on the PGTI earlier this month, made a bogey on the first hole but came back strongly with six birdies.
Mari Muthu, Aryan Roopa Anand, Sunhit Bishnoi, Angad Cheema, Aadil Bedi and Sudhir Sharma were the six Indians in tied 12th place with scores of 68.
India’s Mohammad Sanju produced a hole-in-one on the fourth hole during his round of 72 that placed him tied 86th.
The scores (top three): 63: Manuel Elvira (Esp); 64: Oliver Farr (Wal); 67: Henric Sturehed (Swe), Matteo Manassero (Ita), Velten Meyer (Ger), Aman RAJ, M. Dharma, Joel Sjoholm (Swe), S. Mazzoli (Ita), Steven Brown (Eng), Ashley Chesters (Eng).
