Freddy Schott delivered a composed and clinical opening round to take the early lead at the 2026 Hero Indian Open, carding a six-under-par 66 at the demanding DLF Golf & Country Club. The German holds a narrow one-shot advantage over defending champion Eugenio Chacarra after an engaging first day of competition.
Schott, fresh from his recent victory at the Bahrain Championship, made an assertive start with six birdies across his opening 12 holes. Despite late bogeys on the 14th and 17th, he showed resilience by responding with immediate birdies, maintaining his position at the top of the leaderboard.
Chacarra, meanwhile, recovered impressively from a slow start. After early setbacks with bogeys on the second and fifth holes, the Spaniard found his rhythm, producing six birdies to close with a five-under 67. His late surge, including a birdie on the 18th, ensured he remained firmly in contention.
England’s Dan Bradbury sits just behind after posting a four-under 68. Starting on the back nine, he built momentum with three early birdies and, despite minor setbacks, finished strongly with back-to-back gains.
A group of players, including Niklas Nørgaard, Martin Couvra, Calum Hill, and Gregorio De Leo, share fourth place at three-under-par, while a further nine players are positioned at two-under.
The opening round was suspended at 6:40 pm due to fading light and is scheduled to resume the following morning, setting the stage for a competitive continuation of play.
Speaking after his round, Schott highlighted the demanding nature of the course, noting the importance of precision across all aspects of the game. Chacarra echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing patience and course management as key factors in navigating one of the most challenging layouts on the calendar.
With tight margins at the top and conditions expected to remain firm, the tournament is poised for a compelling contest over the coming days.
About the DP World TourÂ
The DP World Tour is the main men’s professional golf tour of the European Tour group.
As golf’s global tour, we showcase global talent in global destinations and use our platform to build, entertain and connect our global community.
GLOBAL TALENT: We provide pathways and a platform for the leading international talent, bringing together golfing icons, national heroes and emerging stars from around the world. 
GLOBAL DESTINATIONS: We stage tournaments in iconic cities and locations around the world and each week we celebrate and showcase the rich diversity of the courses, cities and cultures we visit.
GLOBAL COMMUNITY: We build, entertain and connect communities through our commitment to innovation, creative content and having a positive social and environmental impact.
 
Our 2026 Global Schedule features 42 tournaments in 25 different countries and comprises three distinct phases: five ‘Global Swings’, the ‘Back 9’ and the ‘DP World Tour Play-Offs’. It features five Rolex Series events – the premium category of events on the DP World Tour – and four Major Championships, all of which count towards the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World, the Tour’s season-long competition which concludes at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
DP World, the leading provider of global smart end-to-end supply chain and logistics solutions, has been the title partner of the DP World Tour since the start of the 2022 season, the Tour’s 50th season following its formation in 1972. 
We also enjoy the support of many of the world’s leading business brands with DP World, Rolex, Aldar, AWS, BMW, Buffalo Trace Distillery, Emirates, Fortinet, Husqvarna, Michelob ULTRA, Nexo and Vestas as Official Partners.
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About Hero MotoCorp
Hero MotoCorp, headquartered in New Delhi, India, is the world’s largest manufacturers of motorcycle and scooter for 25 consecutive years, with a global footprint spanning 52 Countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and customer base of over 128 million. VIDA, powered by Hero, is the company’s dedicated electric mobility arm, driving innovation and sustainability. Hero MotoCorp has collaborations with Harley-Davidson and Zero Motorcycles and strategic investments in Ather Energy and Euler Motors. The company operates eight manufacturing facilities – six in India and one each in Colombia and Bangladesh – along with two Research and Development centres: Centre for Innovation and Technology (CIT) in India and Tech Centre Germany (TCG) near Munich. Hero MotoCorp is the only Indian two-wheeler manufacturer listed on the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI). Beyond mobility, Hero MotoCorp is a leading global corporate promoter of multiple sports including golf, football, field hockey, and cricket. Hero MotoSports Team Rally is India’s flag bearer in global rally racing, while legendary golfer Tiger Woods is the company’s Global Corporate Partner.
