Om Prakash Chouhan shot a superb six-under 66 to be in joint lead with Spaniard Quim Vidal after the first round of the $300,000 Kolkata Challenge at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) here on Thursday.

Among other Indians, four-time DP World Tour winner S.S.P. Chawrasia, playing on his home course, returned a 67 to be tied-third along with compatriot Dhruv Sheoran.

Syed Saqib Ahmed and Mohammed Azhar carded an identical 69 to be joint-ninth as five Indians remained inside the top-10.

Om Prakash Chouhan, a former winner who earned a spot on the DP World Tour in 2024 as a result of being the 2023 PGTI Order of Merit winner, gathered eight birdies, including two long ones, and two bogeys.

Joshua Grenville-Wood made a hole-in-one on the 13th during his round of 70.

The scores (first round): 66: Om Prakash Chouhan, Quim Vidal (Spn); 67: Lukas Nemecz (Aut), Dhruv Sheoran, S.S.P. Chawrasia; 68: Ilirian Zalli (Alb), Saan Huizing (Ned), Lars Van Meijel (Ned).