Indian-American golfer Sahith Theegala, partnering with Aaron Rai, got off to a strong start at the Zurich Classic, finishing the opening day with a nine-under round. The pair sits tied for 13th, trailing by five shots behind PGA Tour rookies Isaiah Salinda and Kevin Velo, who set a new tournament record with an impressive 14-under round.
This year’s Zurich Classic, the only team-format event on the PGA Tour, began with Four-ball (best-ball) on Thursday. Salinda and Velo were unstoppable on the front nine, scoring 10-under, thanks to eight birdies and an eagle from Salinda on the Par-5 seventh. They added four more birdies on the back nine to close with a stunning 58.
Also shining on the leaderboard were Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, who combined for an eight-under 64. McIlroy, playing for the first time since his Masters victory, entertained crowds with a 20-foot birdie putt followed by an eagle on the second hole.
Fellow Indian-American Akshay Bhatia, recently backed by Hero for the Masters, partnered with Carson Young to card an eight-under round, placing them tied at 18th. Just one stroke behind the leaders were Danish twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard. Collin Morikawa/Kurt Kitayama, Cam Davis/Adam Svensson, Paul Peterson/Thomas Rosenmueller, and Kris Ventura/Antoine Rozner all posted stellar rounds of 61 to tie for third place. Meanwhile, Adam Schenk thrilled fans with a 231-yard albatross on the 7th hole; he and Tyler Duncan carded a 63.
The event continues with Foursomes (alternate shot) on Friday and Sunday, with another Four-ball round scheduled for Saturday.
