Bhatia makes fine start with 70, lies tied 7th at Memorial

Dublin (Ohio), May 30 (PTI) Indian-American golfer Akshay Bhatia overcame a double bogey and two other bogeys on a demanding course with dense rough to shoot a creditable 2-under 70 and lie tied seventh in the first round of Memorial Tournament here.

Bhatia, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, was lying five shots behind the in-form Ben Griffin (65), who won last week at the Charles Schwab Challenge and continued that form this week.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler was not at his best but still shot 70 at Muirfield Village.

The other Indian-American in the field, Sahith Theegala, coming back from a neck strain that forced him to miss an event, shot 2-over 74 and was tied 31st, while Aaron Rai, the Indo-British star, was T-68 after a round of 79.

Bhatia, who was T-3 at the Players, and then ninth and T-9 at Mexico and Genesis in successive starts, made a good beginning.

He opened with a birdie but promptly gave that shot back on the next hole. A birdie on the fifth was followed by a double bogey and a birdie as he closed the front nine with an even par 36.

Bhatia began the back nine well with birdies on 11th, 14th and the 15th but gave away a bogey on the 18th as he missed a 10-foot par putt.

Theegala was one-under for the front nine with a 45-foot birdie putt on the sixth. On the back nine he bogeyed the 10th, double bogeyed the 11h after going into the water and then into the rough.

He bogeyed the 13th, too, but picked a birdie on the 14th with a 25-foot for a birdie. On the Par-3 16th he hit his tee shot to nine inches and holed for a birdie but again dropped a shot on 18th for a 2-over.

Rai had three birdies, two bogeys and an incredible four double bogeys for 7-over 79.

Griffin showed great form, shooting 65 despite hitting twice into the water. Griffin just kept making birdies, along with an eagle on the par- 5 seventh hole with a 3-wood into 12 feet. Griffin led by two shots over Collin Morikawa, with Max Homa another stroke behind.

Only 13 players broke par in a gentle wind but the course, at Muirfield Village, had dense roughs like the US Open, which is scheduled next week at Oakmont.

Shane Lowry played alongside Griffin and had a 69, one of only six players to break 70. PTI Cor AH AH