Quayle endures mixed day in India

A tale of two nines has derailed Anthony Quayle's hopes of getting off to a flying start at the Hero Indian Open in New Delhi.

Despite birdieing five of his first eight holes, the 28-year-old Australian eventually had to settle for a modest opening two-under-par 70 at the DLF Golf and Country Club on Thursday.

Quayle could not keep the momentum going after the turn as he traded just one birdie against four dropped shots, including a double bogey on the par-four seventh hole to share the eighth spot and sit five shots back of leader Paul Yannik of Germany.

Yannik, the runner-up of last week's Thailand Classic, recovered from an early bogey to shoot eight birdies, including at his final four holes, for a 65 to lead by a shot from local hopeful Honey Baisoya.

Aguri Iwasaki emerged as the second-highest finisher among the JGTO members following an even-par 72 to tie for 24th place.

The other two Japanese representatives, Kazuki Higa and Ryo Hisatsune, have work cut out for them after signing for dismal 75s to be placed tied-60th along with 2021 Japan Open winner Shaun Norris of South Africa.

Higa and Iwasaki are playing in their third DP World Tour event this season courtesy of the strategic alliance formed by JGTO and the European premier circuit.

The landmark partnership saw the top three players on the JGTO Money Rankings being rewarded with a conditional membership onto the DP World Tour for the ensuing season, beginning with the 2022-23 campaign.

Rikuya Hoshino, who finished tied sixth at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in UAE earlier this month, was the other beneficiary of the scheme.

The JGTO and DP World Tour will also join forces to hold the ISPS Handa Championship in April, making it the first-ever event to be co-sanctioned by the two prestigious circuits in Japan.

The US$2,000,000 tournament is slated for April 20-23 at the PGM Ishioka Golf Club in Ibaraki.

The event was supposed to take centerstage last year, but the plan had to be pushed back to 2023 due to the travel restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic