Sahith Theegala made a strong start at the Cadillac Championship, opening with a 3-under 69 to sit tied ninth after the first round at Trump National Doral’s demanding Blue Monster course.

He trails leader Cameron Young by four shots after the American set the early pace with a flawless 8-under 64 at the $20 million Signature event. Akshay Bhatia also impressed with a 2-under 70 to be tied 15th, while Indo-Canadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju opened with a 2-over 74 to sit tied 52nd.

Theegala got off to a fast start, picking up three birdies in his first five holes to quickly move up the leaderboard. He added further gains on the 10th and 15th but gave shots back with bogeys on the 11th and 13th, settling for a solid 69 that keeps him firmly in contention.

Bhatia looked set for a top-10 position before a late slip. At 3-under through 17 holes, he found water off the tee on the 18th, leading to a bogey that dropped him back to T-15.

At the top, Young’s bogey-free 64 was built on precise iron play and a red-hot putter. “Everything just clicked today,” he said. “I gave myself a lot of chances and managed to convert.”

Jordan Spieth and Alex Smalley sit one shot back at 7-under. Spieth’s round included an eagle on the par-5 eighth, offsetting a couple of back-nine bogeys.

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

Nick Taylor is fourth at 6-under, while Nico Echavarria (67) and Gary Woodland (68) remain within striking distance.

What it means: Another solid start for Theegala, whose consistency keeps him in the mix, while Bhatia shows he’s not far off contention.

What’s next: With the Blue Monster offering little margin for error, maintaining momentum on moving day will be key for both players.

Photo – PGAT