Chiara Tamburlini made a welcome return to Ladies European Tour (LET) action at the Hero Women’s Indian Open as the Swiss star opened with a 67 (-5) at DLF Golf & Country Club to take the day one lead.
Competing for the first time on the LET since July, and in only her sixth start on the circuit in 2026, Tamburlini came back with a bang firing seven birdies and dropping two shots in Delhi. This included three birdies in her first four holes at the 1st, 2nd and 4th. She would also birdie the signature 17th coming in.
“I had a lot of fun, honestly,” Tamburlini said, who finished T20 at the challenging DLF Golf & Country Club in 2025. “I’ve been having a lot of fun since I set foot on this golf course again on Monday. It’s been so nice to just be here and be in this environment again. I had two lovely playing partners [Jess Baker and Ridhima Dilawari]. We had a great time, and honestly, it was just simple golf again, which has been missing for a while. So that was really nice.”
The afternoon scorecard saw the Swiss star leapfrog early leaders Shannon Tan, the defending champion, and Argentina’s Magdalena Simmermacher who opened with rounds of 68 (-4) at DLF Golf & Country Club.
Winner of the 2024 LET Order of Merit, Tamburlini has been competing on the LPGA for the majority of 2026 where she sits 106th on their season-long Race to CME Globe. This week marks her first start at a non co-sanctioned event with the LPGA since February.
“It’s been incredible [being back],” the 26-year-old said, winner of three LET titles. “It’s been so much fun. I feel like I’ve been able to be myself in a way a lot more again. It’s been a different environment for me this whole year, with a lot of new learnings, and this has just been so nice. I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling because everybody’s so friendly and lovely. We’ve just been chatting the whole time, having dinners with different girls and having such a good time. It’s been incredible.”
One back in a tie for second is defending champion Tan. The Singaporean, also a three-time winner on the LET, had a excellent opening round going bogey-free at DLF Golf & Country Club.
“I hit it pretty well today off the tee and in regulation,” Tan said, who birdied the 2nd, 6th, 15th and 16th on Thursday. “To be fair, I actually missed a few shots out there, like the putts that didn’t drop. But I think overall, I’m bogey-free, and I take that in with me anyday, especially on this course. I think I was quite consistent out there today.
“It’s been great so far [being the defending champion]. I quite enjoy it. I think it’s not just the media stuff, but also having kids and fans come up to me and saying that they watched me last year and thanking me for being here this year as well. So I think it’s really nice to know that I have fans who support me. Overall, it’s been good for me.”
Simmermacher would match Tan’s score shortly after as the Argentinian birdied her final two holes, the 8th and the 9th, to return to form once again.
“I just felt very comfortable out there,” the 30-year-old said. “I hit some really good shots and had a very good strategy with my caddie. Overall, this course is a challenge to get around. It’s a patience game here, so I think we did a really good job.”
Simmermacher contended at the Women’s Australian Open earlier this year finishing sixth within a stacked field. Since then, however, the South American has struggled for form making just two cuts. After last week’s Aramco Korea Championship, Simmermacher visited Thailand with some fellow LET members to try and reignite her spark.
“We went to Thailand, to Phuket,” she explained. “We did some sightseeing, went to the beach, had some good dinners and a lot of fun. I played some golf with Alice Hewson and Whitney Hillier. We had a lot of fun, and it was good competitive training for this week.”
In solo fourth after day one at the Hero Women’s Indian Open is the in-form Sara Kouskova. The Czech star finished runner-up in Korea two weeks ago and battled through fatigue on Thursday carding a round of 69 (-3).
Asian Games Gold Medallist and home favourite Pranavi Urs is one back on two-under par. The Indian shares fifth spot with compatriot Avani Prashanth, Norway’s Dorthea Fobrigd and France’s Lois Lau.
“I’m feeling a bit under the weather,” Urs said. “My stomach’s not feeling good. That’s not good for this course considering how challenging it is. I just had to keep it all together and play, which I did very well.”
The 23-year-old played alongside Tan on day one where the two were able to add another chapter to their long-term friendship.
“We go way back, I think 10 or 12 years,” Urs explained. “We played junior golf and we’re now playing pro golf together which is pretty cool. I think to experience that with your childhood friend is amazing and not a lot of the girls get to do that. After I won my first event at the Asian Games, she said that she wanted me to win if not for her and I was there for her first win.”
One player is yet to complete her first round after play was suspended due to lack of light. Sweden’s Andrea Lignell will return to the 18th fairway on Friday morning to finish round one. The second round will commence at 6:40 local time on Friday.
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