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Theegala Shines Early at Doral, Bhatia Close Behind in Top 15

Sahith Theegala carded a 3-under 69 to finish tied-ninth after the opening round of the Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral. Akshay Bhatia is tied-15th after a costly bogey on the final hole dropped him back. Cameron Young leads the $20 million event with a flawless 8-under 64, one shot ahead of Jordan Spieth and Alex Smalley. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had a mixed day, finishing at 1-under.

Key Points: Theegala Ninth, Bhatia Tied-15th at Cadillac Championship

  • Sahith Theegala tied-ninth with 3-under 69 at Cadillac Championship
  • Akshay Bhatia tied-15th after final-hole bogey
  • Cameron Young leads with bogey-free 64
  • World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler finishes at 1-under
2 min read

Golf: Theegala shines early, sits ninth at Doral; Bhatia close behind in tied-15th

Sahith Theegala fires 3-under 69 to sit tied-ninth at Trump National Doral, while Akshay Bhatia is tied-15th at the $20 million Cadillac Championship.

"Theegala fired a 3-under 69 to finish tied-ninth after round one - News report"

Miami, May 1

Sahith Theegala delivered a strong opening round to position himself inside the top 10 at the Cadillac Championship, while Akshay Bhatia also made an encouraging start at Trump National Doral's demanding 'Blue Monster' course.

Theegala fired a 3-under 69 to finish tied-ninth after round one, four shots behind leader Cameron Young, who set the pace with a flawless 8-under 64 at the $20 million event. Bhatia carded a 2-under 70 to be tied-15th, while Indo-Canadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju opened with a 74 to sit tied-52nd.

Theegala began aggressively, picking up three birdies within his first five holes to quickly climb the leaderboard. Although his momentum slowed mid-round, he maintained composure to stay under par. His card included birdies on the par-4 second, par-3 third, and par-4 fifth, followed later by gains on the par-5 10th and par-3 15th.

Dropped shots on the 11th and 13th holes prevented a lower score, but the 69 keeps him firmly in contention as he looks for his first win of the season, having already recorded four top-10 finishes this year.

Bhatia, meanwhile, appeared set for a top-10 position before a costly mistake on the final hole. Standing at 3-under through 17 holes, he found water off the tee on the 18th, leading to a bogey that pushed him back into a tie for 15th.

At the top of the leaderboard, Young produced a bogey-free round highlighted by precise iron play and a hot putter, rolling in several lengthy birdie putts. He holds a one-shot advantage over Jordan Spieth and Alex Smalley, both at 7-under. Spieth's round featured an eagle on the par-5 eighth, offsetting a couple of back-nine bogeys.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had a mixed day, starting brightly with three early birdies before slipping back with consecutive bogeys on the 10th and 11th holes to finish at 1-under.

Canada's Nick Taylor sits fourth at 6-under 66, while Nico Echavarria, a winner earlier this season at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, opened with a 67. Gary Woodland is also within striking distance after a 68.

Theegala will tee off his second round on Friday alongside Taylor Pendrith as he aims to build on a promising start.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sneha F
So proud of these guys representing India globally! Theegala's start was electric—three birdies in first five holes shows he's not afraid to take on the course. But that mid-round dip is a bit concerning; he needs to sustain momentum over 72 holes. Bhatia's 3-under through 17 was impressive until the water ball—hope he bounces back tomorrow.
V
Vikram M
Good to see Theegala in contention, but let's be honest—he needs to close out tournaments better. Four top-10s without a win suggests he's lacking that killer instinct. Cameron Young at 8-under is on another level though. That bogey-free round at Doral is world-class.
R
Rohit L
The Blue Monster is no place for the faint-hearted, and these boys are showing true grit! 😤 Theegala's birdie run early was pure class. Bhatia will learn from that 18th-hole mistake—it's all part of growing on the big stage. Proud moment for Indian golf!
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Naveen S
Nice to see Indian talent shining, but the competition is fierce. Young, Spieth, Smalley—these are big names. Theegala's 69 is solid, but he'll need something special in round two to keep pace. Bhatia's water ball on 18 shows the fine margins at this level.
M
Michael C
As a golf fan, I'm thrilled to see Theegala and Bhatia representing

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