Jamshedpur, Jan 31 (IANS): Dubai-based Indian Hoshi Rakesh Yadav and Bangladesh’s Md Razu fired a score of six-under 65 to hold the joint lead after round one of Pre-Qualifying III of the PGTI Qualifying School 2025 being played at the Golmuri Golf Course here on Friday.

The 24-year-old Hoshi Rakesh Yadav, making his third attempt at the PGTI Q School, posted an error-free round that featured an eagle and four birdies. Yadav began the day with a 10-foot birdie conversion on the first and followed that up with a great recovery from the rough and a 12-foot eagle conversion on the ninth.

Yadav, who originally hails from Gurugram and has played college golf in the United States, added three more birdies to his card on the back-nine thanks to his outstanding wedge shots on the par-3s.

Yadav said, “Even though I didn’t make the grade at the PGTI Q School in my previous two attempts over the last two years, the experience of having played at Golmuri earlier helped me a lot in planning my round today. My ball-striking was good and beginning the day with a birdie really got me going. The eagle on the ninth gave me a further boost and helped me finish well.”

Md Razu produced seven birdies and a bogey to tie Yadav for the joint lead. Amateurs Vishesh Sharma and Neil Jolly were tied for third having carded scores of five-under 66.

Out of a total field of 129, the top 27 players (+ ties) will qualify from Pre-Qualifying III, a 36-hole event, for the Final Qualifying Stage. This is the last of the three Pre-Qualifying events.