Englishman James Morrison and Richie Ramsay of Scotland got off to a good start at the Hero Indian Open as they shared the opening round lead on five under par.
The two both shot rounds of 66 to share a one shot lead over Indian Shiv Kapur, Panuphol Pittayarat and Chapchai Nirat of Thailand, Kalle Samooja and Jaakko Makitalo of Finland and Spaniard Javi Colomo at the Karnataka Golf Association course.
Ramsay, winner of the Omega European Masters in September, turned in 34 with one eagle and one bogey.
The wind started to pick up late in the afternoon and so did Ramsay’s form as he returned with four birdies in his homeward nine.
He said: “I kept it going on the front nine and played lovely on the back. I hit it nicely on the last few holes but couldn’t make my putts. As long as you are hitting fairways, there are a lot of chances out there.
“There was a little bit of breeze and crosswinds which made the fairways a lot narrower but the course is playing great and obviously it is good to get off to a good start and I’ll try to build on this.”
Morrison, a former Madeira Islands Open winner, enjoyed a 30 foot eagle putt on the par five fifth which was sandwiched by birdies either side.
“I kept out of the rough and found most of the fairways,” he said. “The course was brilliant and I like this kind of an old-style course, which is tree-lined and challenging. It was a good day but there was also a tricky crosswind as the round progressed.”
