DOHA: Former Asian Tour No. 1, Jyoti Randhawa, was the best Indian at tied ninth in the first round of the USD2.5 million International Series Qatar at the Doha Golf Club here.
The 50-year-old Randhawa, who is planning to devote some time to playing the Seniors Tour, shot 1-under 71.
Thailand's Suradit Yongcharoenchai shot a solid opening four-under-par 68 in difficult windy conditions to take the clubhouse lead.
Among other Indians, Shiv Kapur, a two-time Hero Indian Open winner, SSP Chawrasia, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Karandeep Kochhar carded an even par 72 each and were tied 18th.
Veteran Jeev Milkha Singh (74) in tied 44th place, Rashid Khan (75) in tied 63rd, Veer Ahlawat (76) and S Chikkarangappa (76) in tied 85th and Honey Baisoya (77) were the others in action.
Randhawa, who has cut down his playing schedule over the last few seasons, had a steady round with two birdies against one bogey despite the conditions that were easy to score in. He birdied seventh and ninth and dropped a shot on 15th.
Kapur kept his game tight and dropped just one bogey, but also made just one birdie, even as Chawrasia had four birdies and as many bogeys, the same as Bhullar, a 10-time winner on the Tour. Kochhar had three each of birdies and bogeys at the Doha Golf Club.
While Thai Suradit led the field, Canadian Richard T. Lee, Sangmoon Bae from Korea and Thailand's Phachara Khongwatmai came in with 69s. South Africans Charl Schwartzel and Darren Fichardt and Travis Smyth from Australia shot 70s in the third event of the season on the Asian Tour.
Australia's John Lyras and Todd Sinnott, Andy Ogletree from the United States, Randhawa, Malaysian Ben Leong, Filipino Miguel Tabuena, Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant, Nitithorn Thippong and Gunn Charoenkul, and Saudi Arabia's Saud Alsharif all carded 71s.
The 24-year-old Suradit finished late in the day. A winner once before on the Asian Tour at the 2019 Mercuries Taiwan Masters, he made five birdies and dropped one shot.
