Ashley Chesters off to flying start in Indian Open

Chesters carded a three under par 69 to leave him in a tie for seventh in New Delhi.

The Hawkstone Park ace hit five birdies and only dropped shots on the ninth and 16th.

Scot Stephen Gallacher discovered his form in spectacular fashion to take a share of the lead. The 2014 Ryder Cup winner arrived on the subcontinent having made just one cut from six events in 2019 but carded an excellent 67 at DLF Golf and Country Club to get to five under and share top spot with American Julian Suri.

Gallacher’s sole made cut so far came at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic – an event he has won twice – and the 44-year-old was delighted to be back on another happy hunting ground after securing a top-10 finish in New Delhi last season.

“I have started poorly to be honest,” he told europeantour.com. “Coming back to a place where I’ve played well, hopefully I can draw on some inspiration from last year.

“It was a perfect morning. Cool to start with and then it heated up later on in the round, and not too much wind, so it was perfect today.”

Gallacher hit the front as he turned in 33 with four birdies and a bogey before further gains on the 10th and 11th handed him a two-shot lead.

A double-bogey on the 14th brought him back to the pack but he holed a brilliant long putt from off the green at the par five last for an eagle to jump into the lead.

Suri joined him in the afternoon after some brilliance of his own on the 18th, with a wonderful bunker shot setting up a seventh birdie of the day to go with two dropped shots.

South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Swede Robert Karlsson, Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal and Thai Prom Meesawat were at four under, a shot clear of a group containing England’s Ashley Chesters and Scot Richie Ramsay.