Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 2 (ANI): Dhruv Sheoran and native favorite Vishesh Sharma produced matching course-record scores of 10-under 60 to share the opening-round lead on the Telangana Golconda Masters 2026.
The pair holds a one-shot benefit after the primary spherical of the event’s twelfth version at Hyderabad Golf Association.
Thirty-one-year-old Sheoran, who hails from Gurugram, made 11 birdies in opposition to a solitary bogey to register the bottom rating of his profession. A winner on the PGTI in 2024, he entered the week ranked twelfth on the 2026 Race to DP World India Championship.
Starting from the par-five tenth, Sheoran made 5 consecutive birdies via the 14th earlier than dropping his solely shot of the day on the par-four fifteenth. He recovered instantly and remained bogey-free for the remainder of his spherical.
Hyderabad’s 19-year-old Vishesh, competing in his second season on the DP World PGTI, matched Sheoran throughout the afternoon session. His 60 featured an eagle on the par-five sixth, 9 birdies and one bogey.
Noida’s Amardeep Malik, a two-time winner on the tour, remained one stroke behind the leaders at solo-third after posting a nine-under 61. The 41-year-old made 10 birdies and one bogey.
Japan’s Koichiro Ishika, taking part in his maiden season on the DP World PGTI, produced a bogey-free seven-under 63 to occupy fourth place.
Sheoran’s spherical started in unlikely vogue when he pulled his opening drive right into a bunker on one other gap. With bushes blocking his path to the inexperienced, he formed a 40-yard lower from about 260 yards, discovered the placing floor and almost holed his first putt from 50 ft earlier than tapping in for birdie.
‘I bought off to a scorching begin, though the opening tee shot went left and left me out of place. I made good contact with the restoration, discovered the inexperienced and almost holed the lengthy putt. That gave me quite a lot of momentum, ‘stated Sheoran.
He adopted with a 20-foot birdie conversion on the eleventh, a 10-footer on the twelfth and an eight-footer on the thirteenth. Sheoran then drove the inexperienced on the 14th and two-putted to finish 5 consecutive birdies.
His solely setback got here on the fifteenth, the place he pushed a pitching-wedge lay-up into the bushes and wanted to take a penalty drop.
‘The birdies had given me a cushion, and I knew the momentum was nonetheless on my facet, so the error didn’t unsettle me,’ he stated.
Finding the green on the primary, a tee shot Sheoran considers notably difficult, restored his rhythm for the closing stretch.
‘Once I hit that tee shot the way in which I wished, I felt I might categorical my recreation. From there, I performed with managed aggression and continued executing my tee photographs and approaches, ‘ he stated.
Sheoran moved his base to Japan in mid-June as a result of his spouse is Japanese. The relocation disrupted his common observe routine, and he initially struggled to rediscover his most popular right-to-left ball flight after returning to competitors.
‘I used to be fairly rusty after I got here again and could not transfer the ball the way in which I wished,’ Sheoran stated. ‘I labored with my coach earlier than final week’s Telangana Open and began seeing my most popular ball flight once more. The top-10 end there gave me the boldness I wanted, and that progress confirmed as we speak.’
Sheoran was unaware that he had matched the course document till finishing his spherical.
Standing over a 20-foot birdie putt on the final, he mistakenly believed he was nine-under and wanted to gap it to equal the mark.
‘I later realised I used to be already 10-under,’ he stated. ‘It would have been good to make that putt and set up a brand new course document.’
Vishesh additionally discovered solely after finishing his spherical that he had matched Manu Gandas’ course document from 2022 at his residence venue.
‘Today’s spherical was very particular, notably as a result of it got here at my residence course. Everything appeared to go my means. I putted properly, struck some good photographs and, regardless of a sluggish begin, stayed affected person and saved returning my focus to the current, ‘ he stated.
Vishesh transformed a 15-foot eagle putt on the sixth, whereas one other spotlight arrived on the par-three sixteenth, the place he struck his tee shot to about three ft and made birdie.
However, {the teenager} felt his par saves have been simply as worthwhile because the eagle and birdies.
‘The tough across the greens is sort of thick, and the ball tends to sit down down. Even should you miss a inexperienced by solely a foot, the restoration will be troublesome. Saving par from these positions makes a big distinction by the tip of the spherical.’ Vishesh stated.
Matching the course document carried added significance for Vishesh as a result of it got here on acquainted floor.
‘It is a particular achievement, particularly as a result of it occurred at my residence course. Playing right here definitely helps. I get to sleep in my very own mattress, eat home-cooked meals ready by my mom and compete on a course I do know extraordinarily properly, ‘ he stated.
Sri Lanka’s N Thangaraja and Delhi’s Honey Baisoya shared fifth place at six-under 64.
Defending champion Jamal Hossain of Bangladesh opened with a two-over 72 and was tied 72nd, whereas present DP World PGTI Rankings chief Saptak Talwar returned an even-par 70 to share fiftieth place.
The Race to DP World India Championship is a contest to crown the DP World PGTI’s primary participant, and this competitors may also decide the top-24 gamers from the DP World PGTI Order of Merit who will earn their spots on the season-ending DP World India Championship. (ANI)