Shubhankar Sharma cards 73, Yuvraj Sandhu 75 in tough Aberdeen opener
Synopsis
In blustery Aberdeen conditions where only one player broke 68, India's Shubhankar Sharma and Yuvraj Sandhu opened the Nexo Championship with a 73 and 75 respectively — six and eight shots off Sweden's Marcus Kinhult, who leads after a five-under 67. The real subplot: English amateur Eliot Baker upstaged the professionals with a debut three-under 69.
Key Takeaways
Shubhankar Sharma carded a one-over 73 to sit tied 38th after Round 1 of the Nexo Championship .
Yuvraj Sandhu opened with a three-over 75 to sit tied 62nd .
Marcus Kinhult of Sweden leads at five-under 67 , the only sub-68 round of the day.
English amateur Eliot Baker shot a three-under 69 on his DP World Tour debut, sitting tied second.
Strong winds at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen made scoring difficult across the field.
Shubhankar Sharma carded a one-over 73 to sit tied 38th, while Yuvraj Sandhu opened with a three-over 75 to sit tied 62nd after a demanding first round of the Nexo Championship at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen on 21 August. Strong winds across the exposed links layout made low scoring difficult for the entire field.
Sweden's Kinhult Sets the Pace
Marcus Kinhult of Sweden led the way with a five-under 67, the only round of five-under or better on the day, establishing a two-shot advantage at the top of the leaderboard. Starting from the 10th, Kinhult navigated the testing Scottish conditions with seven birdies and two bogeys. English amateur Eliot Baker was among the surprise performers, shooting a three-under 69 on his DP World Tour debut — a round featuring an eagle and four birdies — to sit tied second alongside Andrew Wilson, Félix Mory, and Benjamin Follett-Smith.
Sharma's Round: Steady but Short of the Lead
Sharma, also starting from the 10th tee, got off to a slow start with a bogey on his opening hole. He recovered with a birdie on the 12th before dropping a shot on the 15th, then gained a stroke on the par-five 18th to turn in 37. On his second nine, he birdied the par-five 1st but surrendered the gain with a bogey on the 5th, completing his round with a level-par 36 — finishing six shots off the lead.
Sandhu Struggles on the Back Nine
Sandhu was two-over through his opening six holes before steadying with a birdie on the 18th to turn in 37. His second nine proved costly: a birdie on the 3rd was undone by a bogey on the 2nd and a double bogey on the 6th, leaving him with a two-over 38 and an overall 75.
Rest of the Field
Keita Nakajima, Jacob Skov Olesen, Lucas Bjerregaard, Scott Jamieson, and Albin Bergstrom were among those at two-under 70. Former major champion Patrick Reed and Eugenio Chacarra both opened with 72. With three rounds remaining, both Indian golfers will need to make significant moves up the leaderboard to remain in contention.
Point of View
But the conditions context matters — Kinhult's 67 was the lone sub-68 round in a field that included a former major champion in Patrick Reed. Sharma's ball-striking on the back nine showed resilience, but a six-shot deficit on a links layout where momentum swings quickly leaves little room for error over the remaining three rounds. The more intriguing story is Eliot Baker's amateur debut at three-under — a reminder that DP World Tour events increasingly serve as proving grounds where established names can be ambushed by unheralded challengers.
NationPress
21 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What score did Shubhankar Sharma shoot in Round 1 of the Nexo Championship?
Shubhankar Sharma carded a one-over 73 in the first round of the Nexo Championship at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen, placing him tied 38th — six shots off the lead.
How did Yuvraj Sandhu perform in his opening round?
Yuvraj Sandhu shot a three-over 75 to sit tied 62nd after Round 1. He was undone by a bogey and a double bogey on his second nine despite a birdie on the 3rd hole.
Who leads the Nexo Championship after Round 1?
Sweden's Marcus Kinhult leads the Nexo Championship after shooting a five-under 67 — the only round of five-under or better on the day — giving him a two-shot lead at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen.
Who is Eliot Baker and why is his round notable?
Eliot Baker is an English amateur who shot a three-under 69 on his DP World Tour debut, featuring an eagle and four birdies. He sits tied second, making him one of the standout performers of Round 1.
What conditions did players face at the Nexo Championship?
Strong winds on the exposed links layout at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen made scoring difficult throughout Round 1. Only Marcus Kinhult managed to break 68 across the entire field.
