Golf: Bhatia and Rai Secure Top Spots at Masters; Rose Leads
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Synopsis
Akshay Bhatia and Aaron Rai, both of Indian origin, made a strong impression on the leaderboard at the Masters, with Justin Rose leading the way after a remarkable 7-under 65. Bhatia and Rai are positioned well for the cut after the opening round.
Key Takeaways
- Akshay Bhatia and Aaron Rai shine at the Masters.
- Justin Rose leads with a 7-under 65.
- Top 50 players will make the cut.
- Rory McIlroy struggles with double bogeys.
- Both Bhatia and Rai show impressive skills on the course.
Augusta, April 11 (NationPress) Akshay Bhatia and Aaron Rai, two of the three Indian-origin players competing in the 89th Masters, made headlines on the leaderboard following the first day, which saw several prominent players, including Justin Rose, who recorded a remarkable 7-under 65.
Bhatia, who recently signed on with Hero as their new sponsor alongside Sahith Theegala, and debutant Rai positioned themselves well to advance after a solid opening round. Both players finished at 2-under 70, tied for 7th place, while Theegala shot an even-par 72, leaving him at -27 amid a leaderboard filled with big names. The top 50 and ties will proceed past the cut.
Justin Rose, a two-time runner-up at the Masters and former US Open champion, marked his 20th appearance at the event with a stellar start, matching his best-ever round at the Masters with a score of 65. His round remained bogey-free until the 18th hole, where he made a lone bogey, dropping from 8-under to 7-under, showcasing exceptional putting skills with only 22 putts.
Defending champion and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler also performed well with a score of 68, sharing second place with last year’s runners-up Ludvig Aberg and Corey Conners, all at 4-under.
Just behind them at 3-under was two-time US Open victor Bryson DeChambeau, who recorded a total of seven birdies but also had four bogeys, tying for 5th place with Tyrrell Hatton.
Despite encountering two double bogeys on the back nine, Rory McIlroy managed to finish with a score of 72 after starting at 4-under through the first 14 holes.
Bhatia and Rai were part of a four-player group at 2-under, along with former World No. 1 Jason Day and Harris English.
Indo-British golfer Rai, whose grandparents hail from India, briefly led the tournament at 4-under after the first ten holes but stumbled with three consecutive bogeys around Amen Corner on holes 11-12-13 and another dropped shot on the 16th. However, he rebounded with birdies on the 15th and 17th to finish at 2-under.
Bhatia experienced a tumultuous round, starting strong but suffering through four bogeys between the fifth and twelfth holes, which pushed him to 2-over. He staged a commendable recovery, tallying five birdies against just one bogey over the final six holes to end with a 2-under 70.
Theegala also had a challenging start with bogeys on the second and third holes, but he steadied himself with a birdie on the fifth, followed by a bogey on the seventh and another birdie on the eighth, finishing the front nine at 1-over.
On the back nine, he secured birdies on the 13th and 15th but faced a double bogey on the Par-3 16th, finishing with a birdie on the 17th for a score of 72.
Bhatia expressed his excitement about the action-packed back nine, stating, “I had a solid start, but my drives weren’t as consistent as they were at Sawgrass during THE PLAYERS. The course is challenging, especially with swirling winds, but it was enjoyable.”
He was particularly thrilled to play alongside Rory McIlroy, saying, “I remained focused. Growing up, I watched him play. Being in that group was a surprise, but it was fantastic. I tried to stay in my own lane, which made the experience feel even more significant.”
Reflecting on his back nine, Bhatia noted, “I made a crucial par on 11, had a three-putt on 12, and aimed to get back to even par for the day. I kept an eye on the leaderboard; I played well on 13 and 14, and I was pleased with my decision to go for it on 15.”
“On 16, I didn’t even watch my ball, and it ended up just a foot from the hole. The putts on 17 and 18 were great bonuses,” he added.
Delighted with his performance on the back nine, Theegala remarked, “It was a good round. I’ve been struggling with my irons, but today I hit several solid shots. It took me some time to find the right speed on the greens.”
“The back nine felt great; I got the speed sorted out. I had some issues with my iron draws. I attempted one on 16 but just missed,” he shared.
He was particularly pleased with birdies on three of the par-5s, stating, “I had a great chance on 13 from the pine straw, with a perfect number and lie, but I wanted to be cautious with the pin because hitting it in the water would have made the up-and-down extremely tough today. I was thrilled that putt dropped, and I played 15 perfectly. Those are some of the best par-5s in the world.”
Despite dropping from 4-under to 2-under, Rai remained optimistic, saying, “It was a great start overall. Having never played this course in competitive conditions before, it was tough to gauge how the course would play during the round.”
He reflected on his strong start at 4-under through the first eight holes, saying, “It exceeded my expectations. I played well, sinking a few nice birdie putts early on.”
“I tried to stay grounded, knowing that tough holes were ahead, especially around the middle of the round on 12 and 13. I aimed to remain present, but the course challenged me in that section. Overall, it was a great first round and start,” he concluded.
