The Gurugram golfer wasted no time asserting dominance. Birdies on the opening three holes showcased his hot putter, and an eagle on the par-5 12th—capped by a 372-yard drive and pinpoint approach—cemented his position at the top.

Shyoran, ranked 11th on the PGTI merit list, admitted the back-nine wobbles didn’t derail his confidence. ‘I’m happy with how I managed the momentum,’ he reflected post-round.

Trailing by one are India’s Chikkarangappa S. and Khalin Joshi, both posting 68s. Joshi praised his birdie-making despite tricky greens, eyeing a strong push in the coming days.

This Rs 1 crore showdown introduces course changes, notably the seventh hole’s shift from par-5 to par-4 at 477 yards, altering strategies for the 71-par layout.

The leaderboard deepens with Angad Cheema at 69 in solo fourth. Saptak Talwar and Nepal’s Subash Tamang tie for 10th on 70, the latter celebrated for a rare hole-in-one on the 11th.

Day 1 delivered thrills, but with top talents lurking, Shyoran’s perch promises intense competition ahead in this key PGTI tournament.