Solid start for Akshay Bhatia, Scheffler struggles in Phoenix

Scottsdale (US), Feb 6 (PTI) Akshay Bhatia, aiming to rebound after missed cuts in his last two starts, opened the WM Phoenix Open with a solid three-under-par 68 at TPC Scottsdale.

Bhatia was T-13, even as fellow Indian-American Sahith Theegala (70) was T-38 after the first round. Another Indian origin player, Sudarshan Yellamaraju (74) struggled to 74 and was T-105th.

Chris Gotterup shot a superb bogey-free eight-under 63 to take a two-shot even as World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler struggled to a 73 and was T-89.

England's Matt Fitzpatrick matched the back-nine record with a 29 to shoot 65. Sam Stevens was among a group of four players at 66 and 26 players shot 68 or better before play was suspended because of darkness.

Bhatia began with a bogey on the 10th and there were no more dropped shots. He birdied the 13th and then parred five in a row. Between the first and the fourth, he birdied three times to get to 3-under and parred his last five holes.

Theegala also began on the tenth and bogeyed the 14th but picked an eagle on the 15th with a 15-foot putt. A bogey on the ninth was repaired with a birdie on the second. Then he birdied the sixth and the seventh only to give away those shots on the eighth and the ninth for a 70. PTI Cor ATK ATK