In a dazzling display of skill and composure, 17-year-old golfing sensation Manoj S seized the first-round lead at the prestigious Jaipur Open 2025. The Bengaluru-based rookie fired an impressive seven-under-par 63 at the Rambagh Golf Club on Tuesday, setting the pace in the Rs. 1 crore event presented by Victorious Choice and powered by Shubhashish Homes.
Rookie's Rampage on the Rambagh Greens
Manoj S, who has been in scintillating form with six top-10 finishes in his last eight starts on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), continued his remarkable run. His bogey-free round was punctuated by eight brilliant birdies against a solitary dropped shot. The young golfer was two-under through the front nine before turning on the afterburners with a spectacular five birdies on the back nine.
His putter was on fire, draining three putts from over 20 feet and another from 15 feet for birdies. "I played a junior event here about three years back and performed well," Manoj revealed after his round. "So, I'm familiar with this course. It's important to place your tee shots well here as a number of fairways have trees in the middle."
He credited his recent success to exceptional ball-striking. "I was accurate with my tee shots today, found 15 greens in regulation and also scored birdies on all the four Par-5 holes. My ball-striking once again provided me with the perfect start to the week," he added.
Chasing Pack Led by Talented Quartet
Hot on the leader's heels is a quartet of golfers tied for second place after carding scores of six-under 64. Shaurya Bhattacharya, Divyanshu Bajaj, Kushal Singh, and Arjun Prasad are all just one stroke behind, promising a thrilling battle in the subsequent rounds.
PGTI Order of Merit leader Yuvraj Sandhu also made a strong start to his campaign. Sandhu opened with a five-under 65, which featured a stunning golden run of five consecutive birdies. He is placed tied for sixth alongside Harsh Gangwar and Badal Hossain.
Local Interest and Tour Support
Among the local professionals, Jaipur's own Prakhar Asawa had the best day, firing a 68 to be tied for 19th place. Last year's PGTI Order of Merit champion, Veer Ahlawat, carded a 67 to find himself tied for 12th.
The tournament underscores the PGTI's ongoing efforts to nurture professional golf in India. These initiatives are supported year-round by the tour's partners, including Rolex, Amul, IndusInd Bank, Victorious Choice, Campa, Amrutanjan Electro Plus, Golf Plus Monthly, and Golf Design India.
With a talented teenager at the helm and a packed leaderboard featuring established stars and emerging talents, the Jaipur Open 2025 is poised for an exciting finish at the historic Rambagh Golf Club.
