Chandigarh: Even as the top Indian contenders stayed on course, the English duo was eliminated on the opening day of the All India Amateur Golf Championships on Thursday at the Chandigarh Golf Club.
Leading Indian players like S Chikkarangappa, Honey Baisoya, Khalin Joshi and Trishul Chinappa moved into the round of 16, but English amateurs Jack Colegate and Curtis Griffiths were knocked in the opening round.

Chikka, two-time defending champion, looking for the first hat-trick since 1930, scored a big 5&3 win over Sidharth Semwal.

Chinappa beat top English player, Colegate 2&1 while Baisoya beat Sandeep Sandhu 3&1. Khalin Joshi had to sweat it out before moving past Jasjeet Singh on the 18th at 1-up.

Local player, IPS Mann, who plays very little on the Indian amateur tour, shocked Griffiths, one of the top British amateurs,  going 1-up on the 19th. Ashbeer Singh Saini, a bright and promising golfer was sent packing by Sri Lankan Vijita Bandara, also on the 19th.

Experienced Gagan Verma scored the biggest win, ending the match on the 14th with a 6&4 score against Capt.Varoon Parmar.

Results of the first round:
Raghav Bhandari beat Arshad Ali 19th hole; HS Kang beat Amon Guron 3&2; Angad Cheema beat Col SK Lakra 5&3; Mohd Nazim beat N Thangaraja 2&1; Khalin Joshi beat Jasjeet Singh 1-up; Syed Saqib Ahmed beat Raja Sardar 4&3;  IPS Mann beat Curtis Griffiths 1-up; Karan Taunk beat Man Simran Singh 2&1; Honey Baisoya beat Sandeep Sandhu 3&1; Simarjeet Singh beat R Marimuthu 5&4; Gagan Verma beat Capt Varoon Parmar 6&4; Trishul Chinappa beat Jack Colegate 2&1; Shubhankar Sharma beat Udayan Mane 3&2; Vijita Bhandara beat Ashbeer Singh Saini 19th; SK Pappu beat Mohd Dulal Hussain 19th; S Chikkrangappa beat Sidharth Semwal 5&3