Om Prakash Chouhan of India achieved an outstanding 3-under 69 in the first round of the UAE Challenge on the European Challenge Tour to tie for fourth place.
Ivan Cantero Gutierrez of Spain, who ended well on the ninth hole and achieved a 5-under 67 with two eagles, held a one-stroke lead over Chouhan, the winner of the Duncan Taylor Challenge in India, by two shots.
Conor Purcell and Brandon Stone both shot 4-under 68s to tie for second place at 4-under.
The 36-year-old Chouhan, a repeat winner on the PGTI Indian Tour, which is affiliated with the DP World Tour, shot a score of 69 by sinking five birdies, including a hat-trick from holes 10 to 12.
Chouhan is presently ranked 11th on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit, from which the Top-20 players advance to the DP World Tour. Also included in the main Tour is the winner of the Indian PGTI Tour OOM.
At 3-under 69, ten players were tied for fourth place. Manuel Elvira, Benjamin Herbert, Daniel Young, and five other participants in this 10-man field finished tied for fourth. With six birdies and an eagle against five bogeys, including three in a row from the fourth to the sixth hole, Elvira produced one of the more dramatic rounds.
