Srinagar – Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshi lit up the scenic Royal Springs Golf Course with a sizzling eight-under 63 to seize a two-shot lead after the opening round of the INR 1 crore J&K Open 2026 on Tuesday.
The former Asian Tour winner rolled in nine birdies against just one bogey, producing the day’s best round with a clinical display that immediately established him as the man to beat.
Chasing him are Ajeetesh Sandhu of Chandigarh and Gurugram rookie Harman Sachdeva, who carded matching six-under 65s. Sachdeva’s bogey-free round was one of the standout performances of the day.
Joshi’s round was sparked by two spectacular chip-ins—first at the par-three third and again on the 15th—along with a hot putter.
“I putted really well and chipped in twice. It’s been a long time since I holed a chip, so that was special,” Joshi said.
The 33-year-old, who won the Andhra Open earlier this season, said playing in Srinagar was as much a pleasure as a competition.
“We all treat coming to Srinagar like a holiday, with the golf being a bonus. The course is stunning—I don’t think any picture can do justice to this place,” he said.
Sandhu, a former Asian Tour champion, recovered from an uneasy start with eight birdies in a six-under round, saying an early birdie on the tough fourth hole changed the momentum.
“It’s great to be back. The scenery is beautiful, the people are welcoming, and walking around this course takes your mind off the usual stresses of competitive golf,” he said.
Teenager Harman Sachdeva continued his impressive rookie season with the only blemish-free card of the day, strengthening his growing reputation on the DP World PGTI.
Five players—Gaurav Pratap Singh, Divyanshu Bajaj, Angad Cheema, Rashid Khan and Czech golfer Stepan Danek—shared fourth place on three-under 68.
Organisers shortened the par-four 11th into a par-three after heavy rain over the past two days left the original fairway waterlogged.
The ₹1 crore J&K Open, supported by J&K Tourism, continues at Royal Springs Golf Course on Wednesday.
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