Akshay Sharma of Chandigarh and Manu Gandas of Gurugram fired identical seven-under 65s to share the clubhouse lead by one shot after the opening round of the Telangana Open 2026 at Vooty Golf County, Vikarabad, on Tuesday, 25 August 2026. The two DP World PGTI veterans were paired together and reached the summit through contrasting routes, setting up a compelling chase over the remaining three rounds.

Akshay Sharma's Round: Birdies From the Off

Sharma made an electric start, rattling off four consecutive birdies from the first through the fourth hole. A bogey on the par-five fifth briefly checked his momentum, but the 36-year-old bounced back with four more birdies to complete a polished opening effort. He credited the soft, receptive greens at Vooty Golf County for enabling his putting to shine.

'I struck the ball well, but the biggest difference was my putting. I holed several long putts, which helped me build the round,' Sharma said. His strategy for the rest of the week is equally straightforward: 'I wanted to find the fairways and give myself as many opportunities as possible by hitting the greens in regulation. I'll follow the same approach tomorrow and give it my best.'

A three-time winner on the DP World PGTI and currently third in the season rankings, Sharma's last title came at the DP World Players Championship at Classic Golf and Country Club in Gurugram in April.

Gandas Finds Rhythm on the Back Nine

Manu Gandas had a more measured front nine — two birdies and a bogey — before unleashing a back-nine flourish that included an eagle on the par-five 12th and four birdies. His card read six birdies, one eagle, and a lone bogey on the par-four sixth for a seven-under 65.

'I didn't start particularly well, but I found my rhythm and played a strong second half,' Gandas said. On his eagle, he acknowledged an imperfect drive: 'My drive wasn't ideal, but I followed it with a good approach and then holed an excellent putt.'

A nine-time winner on the DP World PGTI and the 2022 Order of Merit champion, Gandas is currently 18th in the standings. He intends to stay the course: 'I'll stay committed to what I'm doing and see where it takes me.'

Chasing Pack: Vishesh Sharma and Rashid Khan at T3

Hyderabad-based 19-year-old Vishesh Sharma and Delhi's Rashid Khan are tied third at six-under 66, a shot behind the leaders. Vishesh returned a bogey-free card featuring six birdies — a particularly encouraging performance given he had been sidelined by illness for a couple of weeks after missing the cut at the J&K Open three weeks ago.

Rashid's 66 was more eventful: an eagle on the par-four third, six birdies, and two bogeys. Noida's Lakshya Nagar sits fifth after a clean, bogey-free five-under 67 featuring five birdies.

Order of Merit Leader Struggles; Kolar Open Champion Also Stumbles

PGTI Order of Merit leader Saptak Talwar had a difficult day, returning an even-par 72 to finish tied 43rd. Hyderabad's Mohd Azhar, who claimed his maiden professional title at last week's Kolar Open, carded a one-over 73 and was tied 51st — a reminder that form on the PGTI circuit can shift quickly between events.

Round Status and What Comes Next

The opening round was suspended due to fading light, with 27 of the 132 players still on the course at close of play on Tuesday. The remaining competitors will resume their rounds on Wednesday at 6:45 am IST. With soft greens expected to hold scoring opportunities, the leaderboard could tighten considerably before the second round tees off.