Asian Games Trials: Madappa, Ahlawat share men's lead; Hitaashee leads women

Viraj Madappa and Veer Ahlawat, two of India's most promising young talented stars, shared the lead after a superb start in the Asian Games Golf trials on Tuesday.

The duo shot 6-under 66 each for a two-shot lead over three others. As the first round produced an intense battle, two shots behind the leading duo are the in-form Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, Rashid Khan, and amateur Milind Soni, who carded 68 each.

Among women, the Bakshi sisters, Hitaashee led the field with 68 and Jahanvi, carded 69, which included a hole-in-one. Avani Prashanth, an amateur with multiple wins on the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour, was lying tied-third alongside Seher Atwal, Gaurika Bishnoi and amateur Kriti Chowhan.

A four-man team for men's section and a three-member team for women's section will be chosen for the Asian Games due to be held in China later this year. The Indian Golf Union has worked out a selection system by which two men and two women have been selected based on their world ranking.

Two-time Olympian Anirban Lahiri, and Shubhankar Sharma have been given a berth each while Aditi Ashok, also a two-time Olympian and fourth in Tokyo Olympics, and Tvesa Malik have already been picked for women's team.

As five players are within two shots of each other, another three Khalin Joshi, Kshitij Naved Kaul and Karandeep Kochhar are at 69 each and Tokyo Olympics qualifier Udayan Mane carded 71.