Shashank Sachin Gadre and Chaitanya Pandey dominated the proceedings in the opening round of the prestigious 26th NCR Cup Junior & Amateur Golf Tournament which teed off on Wednesday at the pristine greens of Jaypee Greens Wish Town, Noida.
Scheduled from September 23 to 25, 2026, this marquee three-day championship carries critical significance for emerging stars, serving as an official World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) counting event and drawing India’s top tier of junior and amateur golf talent.
Day 1 witnessed sharp, competitive shot-making across all divisions on the par-71 layout. In Category A, Shashank Sachin Gadre set the early tournament pace with an exceptional 4-under-par round of 67 (32-35). Gadre’s red-hot front nine featured four birdies, handing him a two-stroke advantage. Chasing closely in tied-second are Arshvant Srivastava (A) and Smyaan Gupta (A), each signing for an impressive 2-under 69.
In Category B, Chaitanya Pandey dominated his category and climbed to solo 4th in the overall combined leaderboard, crafting a brilliant 1-under 70 (37-33) anchored by an inward nine with three birdies. He holds a commanding seven-stroke lead over a joint second-place pack consisting of Digvijay Singh Rathore, Aditya Tiwari, and Ayan Khan, all tied at 77.
Aahana, Gauri and Myra locked in three-way battle
The girls’ field is locked in a thrilling three-way dead heat at the summit. Aahana Kashyap (A), Gauri Sharma (A), and Myra Kumar (A) all recorded opening rounds of 5-over 76 to share the overall lead. Right behind them, Dalisha Chetry carded a steady 77 to lead Category B Girls and sit just one stroke off the overall top spot, matched by Samaira Tomar (A) at 77.
In the gentlemen’s amateur division, Ritik Madan took the opening day honors with a disciplined 1-over 72. Harssh Rana follows in second at 76, with Kushagra Gaur third at 77. Among the amateur ladies, Neetu Bansal leads the pack with an opening 88, holding a narrow one-shot edge over Anoop Singh (89).
Round 2 action resumes on Thursday morning as contenders jockey for position moving into Friday’s final round.
Behind the enduring legacy of the NCR Cup stands the Delhi Golf Society (DGS), the state governing body affiliated with the Indian Golf Union (IGU). Formed in 2003 by pioneering golf visionaries and administrators, DGS was built to democratize and expand competitive golf across the Delhi-NCR region.
DGS instituted the NCR Cup as its premier multi-day platform. Over two decades, it has evolved into a key proving ground where junior athletes transit into national and international recognition. By securing WAGR eligibility and standardizing premier tournament formats, DGS ensures junior golfers earn vital world ranking points domestically without bearing the prohibitive costs of international travel.
Beyond staging tournaments, DGS frequently facilitates specialized coaching clinics, talent identification camps, and equipment assistance programs for promising underprivileged players to sustain the grassroots pipeline.
