India's golfer Shubhankar Sharma shot his best round of 2023 as he fired a flawless 7-under 65, that included an eagle and five birdies, to take the sole lead at the Irish Open after the opening day in Kildare, Ireland.
Sharma has finished in the Top 10 twice this season -- T-8 at the Open in July and T-7 at the first event of 2023 in Abu Dhabi.
The 27-year-old is ranked 65th on the Race to Dubai, and needs to be inside Top-50 to make the season-ending DP World Tour Championships in November in Dubai.
The other Indian in the field, Manu Gandas shot 1-over 73 and was lying T-104. He needs a very low second round to make the cut.
Sharma started from the tenth tee late in the afternoon on the Palmer North Course at The K Club. Though he found only around 12 fairways and 12 greens in regulation, his putting was outstanding. He needed just 24 putts for the round and that made the difference.
"It was really solid. Hit the ball pretty good. Made a lot of puts until the back nine which was my front nine, and the round kind of got even better when I made that third shot off 18," Sharma said.
"I holed out from 105 yards. That got me to 5-under, and the front nine was solid again. I haven't seen the stats but I'm sure I gained some strokes on the field with my putting.
"It was one of those days that the hole grew bigger and bigger. Really pleased, yes. I was great off the tee but the putter would be number one," the two-time DPWT winner added.
Sharma started with a birdie on the 10th. He had back-to-back birdies on the 16th and 17th followed by an eagle on par-5 18th, which was a hole out from 105 yards.
Turning in 5-under, he added birdies on the second and fourth.
Sharma, who became the first Indian recipient of the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Trophy in 2018, is one stroke ahead of a pack of five golfers on six under par.
Ross Fisher, winner of the Irish Open in 2010, Jordan Smith, 2018 Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjorn, who also won this event in 2006, Kristian Krogh Johannessen of Norway and Germany's Marcel Schneider are all tied for second place.
Shane Lowry, who famously claimed the Irish Open title as an amateur in 2009, sits in a share of 13th place on four under par alongside Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald.
Rory McIlroy, winner of the Irish Open the last time it was played at The K Club shares 17th one stroke back on three under.
