Sharma, Bhullar card 69 each after Sandhu's 66 in Spain

Indian golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar completed their opening rounds, carding a matching one-under 69 to lie T-88 at the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open here.

While Ajeetesh Sandhu, who had fired a sizzling four-under 66, and SSP Chawrasia (74), had completed their rounds at Meloneras Golf Club, Sharma and Bhullar were at three-under through 11 holes and even par through 12 on Thursday.

Dutchman Joost Luiten and Joachim B Hansen set the early target of 7-under 63 and despite the wind, later on, Max Kieffer, who lost a five-hole play-off last week, and Robin Roussel joined them at the top with 63s. Making the leaderboard even more crowded were seven others at 5-under.

Sharma was three-under in the front nine and then eight straight pars brought him to the closing hole, the ninth, at three-under. But a crippling double bogey on Par-4 ninth set him back to one-under.

Bhullar, on the other hand, had three birdies against two bogeys, while Chawrasia struggled through with two birdies against six bogeys.

Luiten, multiple winners on European, but who has not tasted success since winning Oman Open in 2018, started with seven-under 65 which included an ace on 15th.

Hansen, who had his breakthrough win at Joburg Open in November 2020, shot a superb seven-under 65 that had four birdies on back nine, where he started, and an eagle-birdie on fourth and fifth.

Roussel had eight birdies against one bogey, while Kieffer had nine birdies and a double on Par-4 eighth hole.

Last week's winner, John Catlin shot three-under 67 and was T-42.

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