Indians dominate leaderboard at TAKE Solutions Masters

The Indian golfers dominated the leaderboard on the first day of the TAKE Solutions Masters golf here, even as Thailand's Poom Saksansin, shot his career-best round of 64 to take the lead.
There were as many as 17 Indians in the top-25 after the first round, with Viraj Madappa, who has shifted base form Kolkata to Bengaluru, sharing the second spot with Kolkata's Divyanshu Bajaj. The two Indians had similar bogey-free rounds, including an eagle each on Par-5 11th, carded 66 each.
Displaying local knowledge Syed Saqib Ahmed, a product of the KGA, shoot four-under 67 and shares the fourth spot with another Indian Sujjan Singh and Spaniard Carlos Pigem.

There were three Indians, including Bengaluru golfers -- Chikkrangappa and Khalin Joshi -- apart from OP Chauhan, alongside Scott Barr and Todd Sinnott in the tie for seventh place at three-under 68 each.
On a day when SSP Chawrasia was recommended for the Arjuna Award, he shot 69 to share the 12th place. He needs at least a second place result this week to take over the top spot on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Meanwhile, making a comeback from an injury, Poom who won his first Asian Tour title at the Indonesian Masters last year, chipped-in for birdie on his last hole from the edge of the green to soar into the lead and hand himself his best round on the Asian Tour.

The Thai has been struggling to recover from a back injury, which he sustained late last year but he is slowly finding his form again.

The 19-year-old Madappa, a former number one Indian amateur golfer, got off to a good start in his first Asian Tour tournament as a professional. He joined the play-for-pay ranks earlier this year.
Poom got off to a birdie, birdie start. He ended his back nine on a high note with five birdies for a 29. He missed only two fairways and made 25 putts. A chip in birdie on the last hole from the edge of the green helped with his putting stats.

The top three players -- Poom, Madappa and Divyanshu -- ended the first day without any bogeys.
Madappa said he learned how to play golf after going for swimming lessons.
"I was a fat kid and I went swimming at a golf club. There I saw people playing golf and I told my father that I wanted to try it," he said.
Divyanshu has not made a single cut in eight Asian Tour events, which date back to 2012. His flawless round of 66 puts him in good position to make the weekend rounds.