Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala made steady starts at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, both carding 2-under 70 to sit tied 18th after the opening round at Bay Hill.
The Indian-origin duo shared the position with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler as they stayed within striking distance of the leaders on a demanding opening day.
Daniel Berger set the early pace with a flawless 9-under 63, taking a three-shot lead. Collin Morikawa and Ludvig Åberg sit tied second after rounds of 6-under 66.
Bhatia recovered strongly after a slow start that included two early bogeys. The 24-year-old steadied himself with a birdie on the seventh before gaining momentum on the back nine with consecutive birdies on the 11th and 12th and another on the 16th to finish with four birdies against two bogeys.
Theegala also produced a composed round with three birdies and a lone bogey. He began brightly with a birdie on the first and added back-to-back gains on the fifth and sixth before a dropped shot on the 12th saw him settle for a two-under card.
Scheffler matched the same score with four birdies and two bogeys, while Rory McIlroy opened with an even-par 72.
Scoring proved difficult across the field, with only 32 players finishing the day under par at Bay Hill.
With three rounds remaining, Bhatia and Theegala remain well placed as the tournament heads into its second day.
Photo – PGAT
