Rafiq carded one-under but had fellow-pro Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia carding the same score to share the top slot. Basad Ali, with a par-72, was third while Rajeev Mohta and Yusuf Ali returned one over cards to take the joint fourth position.

However, the Indian Open champion Feroz had a two-over 74 to share the sixth spot. Rafiq, the youngest of the Ali brothers, played steady golf for a par 36 on the front nine with two birdies and two bogies and then played one-under in the back nine with birdies on the 12th and 15th and dropped a stroke on the 17th.

Another local pro Indrajit Bhalotia had a bad first round to card three-over 75 and was in the joint 10th place with Delhi's Rohtas Singh.

The biggest disappointment of the day was Ali Sher with a five-over 77 card. He had sixbogeys as against one birdie.

Results (after 18 holes): 71, Rafiq Ali, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia; 72, Basad Ali; 73, Yusuf Ali, Rajeev Mohta; 74, Feroz Ali, Ajay Yadav, Sanjay Kumar, Akbar Ali; 75, Rohtas Singh, Indrajit Bhalotia.