How Did Rakshit Dahiya Perform in Round 1 of the World Amateur Team Golf Championship?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Rakshit Dahiya is the top Indian player after Round 1.
- Team India is currently tied for 18th place.
- Dahiya's even-par 72 reflects his resilience in tough conditions.
- Deepak Yadav and Arin Ahuja also competed, with varying performances.
- The Indian Golf Union's support is vital for the team's progress.
Singapore, Oct 8 (NationPress) Rakshit Dahiya recorded an even-par 72 amidst challenging conditions at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Wednesday, concluding the first round as the top Indian contender in the World Amateur Team Championship (WATC) for the Eisenhower Trophy.
Dahiya, the victor of the Delhi NCR Cup 2025, is currently tied for 28th, trailing leader Hiroshi Hirahara Tai from Singapore by seven strokes. The Indian team finished Day 1 in a tie for 18th place among 36 participating nations.
As a member of the three-person team representing the Indian Golf Union (IGU), the governing body for golf in India, Rakshit faced a rocky start in his WATC journey, encountering bogeys on both the second and fifth holes. However, he bounced back with birdies on the 12th, 16th, and 17th holes. A bogey on the final hole resulted in a drop of more than 10 spots on the leaderboard.
Reflecting on his performance, Rakshit stated, “I could have finished higher, but it is a decent start. The conditions were tough, to say the least. Yet, I managed to finish at even par. Tomorrow, I will concentrate on minimizing mistakes and positioning the ball correctly in the fairway. The IGU has provided full support to our team, and competitions like these enhance our confidence to compete against the world's finest golfers.”
Another Indian player, Deepak Yadav, finished Day 1 with a score of one-over 73, landing in a tie for 35th position. He began strongly with a birdie on the first hole and another on the sixth, finishing the front nine at two-under-par. Deepak reached three-under-par by the 11th hole but faced setbacks with bogeys on the 13th and 14th holes, plus a double bogey on the 15th.
Arin Ahuja also had a fluctuating round, achieving two birdies but succumbing to five bogeys, which put him in a tie for 67th place with a total score of three-over 75.