Conor Purcell is just one shot off the lead after an opening round that sees three Irishmen inside the top 20 at the HotelPlanner Tour’s DP World PGTI Open in Gurugram, India.
The Portmarnock man had a steady start, parring each of the first eight holes before opening his birdie account on the par-5 ninth and making the turn at -1. His second of the day came on the par-3 11th, and he followed up with two more on the par-4 13th and 15th, before rounding out with his fifth red number of the day on the par-5 18th to card a bogey-free five-under-par 67 that leaves him in a share of fourth place and just one behind.
Gary Hurley is continuing to show signs of the form that saw him earn a DP World Tour card for the 2023 campaign and he sits a shot behind Purcell in a tie for eighth. Hurley missed the entire 2025 season with a potentially career-ending shoulder injury, but after finishing inside the top 10 in his second start of 2026 in South Africa, he is chasing promotion back to the big time. He too went bogey-free, birdieing the 10th, 16th and 18th after starting on the back nine, then added another on the third.
Mark Power completes the trio, and he sits at three-under. It’s the Kilkenny man’s first HotelPlanner Tour start of the season after making the cut in the Magical Kenya Open on the DP World Tour on a tournament invitation and then posting back-to-back top-five finishes on the MENA Tour.
Power bogeyed the first but birdied the seventh to make the turn at level-par, then carded three birdies on the back side, including one at the last to end the day tied for 17th.
The trio of Adam Wallin, Rashid Khan and Sebastian Friedrichsen share the lead at -6, though Friedrichsen, from Denmark, only managed to complete 12 holes before play was suspended for darkness after earlier thunder and lightning had forced a suspension.
Swede Wallin, embarking on his first full HotelPlanner Tour season, mixed five birdies with one bogey before closing his round out with an eagle on the par five 18th, and the 24-year-old, who won three times on the Nordic Golf League last year, was pleased with his effort.
“I had a bit of a slow start,” he said. “I played okay on the front nine, I didn’t hole a few of my putts, but I got it going on the back nine and had a really good final stretch.
“I made an easy birdies on 12 and 14 and hit a great shot into the par five 16th and finished off with a nice three iron to five feet on the last for eagle”
Home favourite Khan, who is playing alongside Purcell and placed inside the top 30 at last week’s Indorama Ventures Open Golf Championship matched Wallin’s score following a round which included six birdies, an eagle and two dropped shots. The 35-year-old finished in a tie for 11th at Classic Golf and Country Club 12 months ago and is looking to continue his positive form on home soil.
“I’m really happy,” he said. “I started well, made birdie on the second hole and again on the sixth.
“I was hitting it everywhere today, but somehow, I was making the greens from there. I’ve been putting well for the last three weeks and I’m trying to give myself some birdie putts.
“This golf course requires some good putting and some good tee shots, especially on the front nine.
“My game is getting back on track and that’s why I’m enjoying my golf right now. I’m really struggling with my driver, but I’m managing the scores now.”
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