The 34-year-old Bengaluru golfer, competing at his home course, recorded an eagle on the par-five 11th and nine birdies during a flawless start to the tournament\u2019s fifth edition. Joshi arrived in Bengaluru after winning last week\u2019s Nava Raipur Open, his third PGTI title of the season. He began the week seventh in the Race to India Championship.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Local teenager Manoj S. also went bogey-free, making seven birdies in a seven-under 65 to occupy second place, four strokes behind Joshi. The 18-year-old is currently 31st in the season standings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Delhi\u2019s 23-year-old Shaurya Bhattacharya made eight birdies and two bogeys in a six-under 66 to take sole possession of third place. He entered the tournament ranked 17th in the season standings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Bengaluru\u2019s Mari Muthu R, Sri Lanka\u2019s N. Thangaraja, current Race to India Championship leader Saptak Talwar of Greater Noida and former Asian Tour winner Himmat Singh Rai of Delhi shared fourth place at five-under 67.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 41-year-old Mari Muthu mixed six birdies with one bogey, while Thangaraja, 45, made five birdies in a blemish-free round. Talwar, who will represent India at the Asian Games in Japan next week, recorded seven birdies and two bogeys.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Himmat endured a more eventful round, offsetting a bogey and a double bogey with eight birdies.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Six players shared eighth place at four-under 68: Gurugram\u2019s Veer Ahlawat, Kolkata\u2019s Sunit Chowrasia, South Africa\u2019s Gerhardus Jacobus Pepler, Pune\u2019s Gurki Shergill, Kapurthala\u2019s Yuvraj Singh and Gurugram\u2019s Saurav Rathi.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ahlawat, the 2024 PGTI Rankings champion, began the week fourth in the Race to India Championship. Chowrasia recently earned promotion to the main tour after winning three consecutive PGTI NexGen events and topping the rankings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Joshi was delighted to carry his winning form into his home event. \u201cI\u2019m very comfortable playing at my home course, and it is encouraging that the good form has continued from last week. I\u2019m pleased with the way I played and handled myself today,\" he said. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Joshi had his girlfriend in the bag for the first time in a PGTI event. She had previously caddied for him on the Asian Development Tour and Asian Tour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cShe keeps the atmosphere light and has a calming influence on me,\u201d Joshi said. \u201cShe is also a very good reader of greens. I asked for her help on two or three important putts, and she got every line right.\u201d Although preferred lies were in effect, Joshi was delighted to register his career\u2019s lowest score. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI was nervous on the first tee, but hitting my opening drive out of the centre immediately settled me down. I\u2019ve known this course since I was four, so once I got going, I felt comfortable,\" he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cMy game was solid from tee to green. I hit several approaches close and holed some good putts. More than the score, I\u2019m pleased with how composed I remained,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Returning home after nearly two months on the road has also provided Joshi with a relaxed environment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cMy game was solid from tee to green. I hit several approaches close and holed some good putts. More than the score, I\u2019m pleased with how composed I remained,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Bengaluru Open is the final tournament before the top 60 on the 2026 PGTI Order of Merit are confirmed. The players finishing inside the top 60 at the end of this event will retain their playing rights for the 2026-27 season and avoid the qualifying school beginning on October 2.<\/p>\r\n\r\n