Yuvraj Sandhu shoots 1-over 71 on Day 1 of Austrian Alpine Open
Synopsis
India's Yuvraj Sandhu opened with a shaky 1-over 71 at the Austrian Alpine Open, sitting T-100 after a round that featured five dropped shots in the first five holes. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Yanhan Zhou of China stole the show with an 8-under 62 — and a win here would shoot him into the Race to Dubai's top 30.
Key Takeaways
Yuvraj Sandhu carded 1-over 71 on Day 1, placed T-100 at the Austrian Alpine Open in Kitzbühel .
Sandhu dropped five shots in five holes to start, before recovering with three straight birdies to reach even par.
Yanhan Zhou of China, aged 18 , leads after a stunning 8-under 62 featuring seven birdies and one eagle.
Ricardo Gouveia is second at 7-under 63 ; Rafa Cabrera Bello and five others share third at 6-under 64 .
A Sandhu win or strong finish would mark his fourth cut of the season ; he needs a significantly improved Day 2 round.
Yuvraj Sandhu, the only Indian in the field at the Austrian Alpine Open in Kitzbühel, endured a rocky opening round on 29 May, carding a 1-over 71 to sit at T-100 after the first day. The Chandigarh golfer's inconsistent scorecard leaves him with significant ground to recover if he is to make his fourth cut of the season.
A Turbulent Start on the Front Nine
Sandhu's troubles began early. He opened with three consecutive bogeys before compounding the damage with a double bogey on the fifth hole, slipping five shots off the pace in just five holes. The recovery, however, was equally dramatic — three straight birdies to close the front nine brought him back to level par and offered a glimpse of his best form.
Back Nine Rollercoaster
The back nine continued in similar fashion. Birdies on the 12th and 13th holes kept Sandhu's momentum alive, but a dropped shot on the 14th interrupted the run. He clawed one back on the 16th, only to drop another on the 17th, finishing the day at 1-over par. The low-scoring nature of the Kitzbühel course means the margin for error is slim, and Sandhu will need a markedly cleaner round on Day 2.
Zhou Leads With a Stunning 62
Yanhan Zhou of China, at just 18 years old the youngest player in the field this week, seized the first-round lead with a breathtaking 8-under 62 — featuring seven birdies, one eagle, and just one bogey. A victory here would propel Zhou directly into the top 30 of the Race to Dubai rankings, an extraordinary achievement for a teenage professional.
Rest of the Leaderboard
Ricardo Gouveia sits in second place after carding a 7-under 63. Former Austrian Open champion Rafa Cabrera Bello — who claimed his first title in Austria in 2009 — is among six players tied for third at 6-under 64. Marcel Schneider, Tobias Jonsson, Davis Bryant, Lucas Bjerregaard, and Brandon Robinson Thompson share that third-place position.
What Sandhu Needs Next
With the cut line likely to fall well under par given the scoring conditions, Sandhu will need to produce a significantly lower second round to stay in contention. The Chandigarh golfer has shown the ability to string birdies together, as his mid-round recovery on Day 1 demonstrated — the question is whether he can sustain that form over a full 18 holes.
Point of View
And the resilience of a golfer who clawed back to near-parity through six birdies. The real concern is structural — a T-100 position on a course yielding 8-under scores leaves almost no margin. For Indian golf's visibility on the European Tour, Sandhu making cuts consistently matters more than the odd highlight round. Whether he can convert mid-round form into a full-round statement on Day 2 is the only question that counts this week.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Yuvraj Sandhu perform on Day 1 of the Austrian Alpine Open?
Sandhu carded a 1-over 71 on the opening day in Kitzbühel, placing him at T-100. He struggled badly early on, dropping five shots in the first five holes, before recovering with a string of birdies to finish just one over par.
Who is leading the Austrian Alpine Open after Round 1?
China's Yanhan Zhou leads after shooting an 8-under 62, with seven birdies, one eagle, and one bogey. At 18 years old, he is the youngest player in the field this week.
What does a win at the Austrian Alpine Open mean for Yanhan Zhou?
A victory would place Zhou directly inside the top 30 of the Race to Dubai rankings, a significant milestone for the 18-year-old professional.
Who else is near the top of the leaderboard?
Ricardo Gouveia is second at 7-under 63. Rafa Cabrera Bello, Marcel Schneider, Tobias Jonsson, Davis Bryant, Lucas Bjerregaard, and Brandon Robinson Thompson are tied for third at 6-under 64.
What does Sandhu need to do to make the cut?
Given the low-scoring nature of the Kitzbühel course and a leaderboard already deep in red figures, Sandhu will need a considerably better second round to move up and secure his fourth cut of the season.
