Dublin, Ohio– Indian-American golfer Akshay Bhatia delivered a solid opening performance at the Memorial Tournament, carding a 2-under 70 on a challenging Muirfield Village course marked by thick rough and demanding conditions. Despite a double bogey and two additional bogeys, Bhatia’s steady play placed him tied for seventh, five strokes behind early leader Ben Griffin.
Griffin, coming off a win at the Charles Schwab Challenge, continued his hot streak with an impressive 7-under 65. Defending champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler also shot a 70, while Collin Morikawa (67) and Max Homa (68) followed close behind.
Bhatia, a two-time PGA Tour winner, opened his round with a birdie but gave that stroke back immediately on the second hole. After picking up another birdie on the fifth, he stumbled with a double bogey but recovered quickly, closing the front nine at even-par 36. He built momentum on the back nine with birdies on the 11th, 14th, and 15th, though a bogey on the final hole, where he missed a 10-foot par putt, kept him from finishing closer to the lead.
Meanwhile, fellow Indian-American Sahith Theegala, returning from a neck strain that sidelined him from recent competition, shot a 2-over 74 to sit tied for 31st. Theegala showed promise early with a long birdie on the sixth hole but faltered on the back nine, including a double bogey on the 11th after finding both water and rough.
Aaron Rai, the Indo-British golfer, endured a difficult round with four double bogeys en route to a 7-over 79, placing him tied for 68th.
Griffin’s round included an eagle on the par-5 seventh, where he struck a 3-wood to within 12 feet. Despite hitting into the water twice, his aggressive play and consistent birdie-making gave him a two-shot lead over Morikawa.
Only 13 players managed to break par as Muirfield Village’s U.S. Open-like rough and swirling winds posed a stiff challenge. Ireland’s Shane Lowry, playing alongside Griffin, was one of just six players to shoot in the 60s, carding a 3-under 69.
The demanding setup is seen as an ideal tune-up for next week’s U.S. Open at Oakmont, with the Memorial offering a tough test and an early glimpse at who is trending in the right direction. (Source: IANS)
