Sundhu Fires Eight Birdies, Denek Matches 65 to Top First Round

Chennai, September 8 – The opening round of the Chennai Open 2026 delivered a dramatic leaderboard shake‑up as Ajitesh Sundhu and Czech hopeful Stepan Denek each carded a 65, seven under par.

Sundhu, the 37‑year‑old former Asian Tour winner, opened with a flurry of eight birdies, only stumbling on the par‑four 12th where he recorded a bogey. He closed the round with birdies on the 16th and 18th, both times escaping from a bunker that had trapped his ball near the green.

Denek, playing his third season on the PGTI, matched Sundhu’s total by posting a flawless seven‑birdie round. His performance on the par‑five holes was particularly impressive, converting each into a birdie.

Indian compatriot Jayraj Singh followed with a six‑under‑par 66, while Rashid Khan and Pawan Verma from Delhi shared third place with identical scores. The field also included a five‑under‑par 67 from the current India Championship leader and a three‑under‑par 69 from Sri Lanka’s champion N. Thangaraja.

The Chennai Open is a key event in the Race to the India Championship, which will ultimately decide the PGTI Order of Merit leader and the top 24 players who will qualify for the season‑ending India Championship.