Belfry (UK), Jun 30 (PTI) Indian golfers Manu Gandas and Shubhankar Sharma struggled to get their act right in the first round of the British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo here on Friday.

Gandas did have two birdies and an eagle on his first nine, which was the front side of the Brabazon Course but he also gave away two bogeys and a double bogey.

With one bogey on the second nine, he ended with 1-over 73 and will need a low round to make the cut. Gandas, playing his first season on the DP World Tour, came into the Tour by topping the Indian Tour’s Order of Merit.

Also in trouble was Shubhankar with a 77 that had two birdies against five bogeys and a double bogey.

Former world number one Justin Rose carded a seven under par 65 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round.

A former winner and host of the British Masters, tasting victory at Woburn in 2002 and hosting at Walton Heath in 2018, Rose carded eight birdies on the Brabazon Course to lead by one stroke from 2014 Ryder Cup teammate Jamie Donaldson.

Starting his round on the iconic tenth hole at the four-time Ryder Cup venue, Rose opened his account with a birdie and made three further gains before the turn. Three birdies followed on the second, fifth and sixth holes and he cancelled out a bogey on the eighth hole with his eighth birdie of the day, holing a 25-foot putt to sign for a seven under par total.

Three-time DP World Tour winner Donaldson was six shots off the pace when he stood on the 13th tee but carded five birdies on his closing six holes to sign for a 66 and a six under par total.

Five golfers share third including Germany’s Yannik Paul, who has recovered from the back injury which forced him to withdraw from last week’s BMW International Open on home soil, and English amateur John Gough.

Joining them on four under par are Spaniard Sebastian Garcia, James Morrison of England and Frenchman Adrian Saddier.

Source: PTI News