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Prominent Indian-American in the world of golf, Akshay Bhatia, is gearing up for another start at the USD 20 million Signature event- the Truist Championship- at the Philadelphia Cricket Club that begins on Thursday. For company, he will have Indian-American Sahith Theegala and Aaron Rai.
The field is led by the AT&T Pebble Beach, PLAYERS and Masters champion and also the defending champion Rory McIlroy as nine of the Top-10 in the world teeing up at this week. McIlroy won this event as the Wells Fargo last year. The only Top-tenner missing this week is No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who last won his first title of 2025 at CJ Cup. This week sees the start of a busy stretch of the Tour. The coming seven weeks starting with the Truist Championship sees three Signature Events and two major championships. So, this is the stretch that will be the focus for all those looking at making the Play-offs. Bhatia had an impressive third place at the PLAYERS won by Rory McIlroy and he was also ninth at the Mexico Open at Vidanta and Tied-ninth at the Genesis Invitational. With just three missed cuts in 11 starts, Bhatia, who along with Sahith Theegala, signed up with Hero as one of only two Indian-American golf ambassadors, is placed 42nd on the standings. Only the top 30 get to the Tour Championships, where Bhatia made a maiden appearance in 2024. Theegala has had a rather lean season with just two Top-25 finishes and no Top-10s. Yet he has missed only one cut in 13 starts and his Top-25 finishes came in Genesis (T-17) and Zurich Classic (T-18) with Aaron Rai. Theegala is lying way behind at 104th in standings and need to move up fast to get into the Play-offs, which begin in August. Rai's sole Top-10 this season has been at Mexico where he was T-4, and he has had five Top-25s. He is lying 42nd. The other big names include Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Ludvig Aberg, Hideki Matsuyama, Russel Henley, Maverick McNealy, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry and many more including Justin Rose, Patrick Cantlay and Jordan Spieth. Tournament officials announced Tuesday that due to potential inclement weather on Thursday and Friday, tee times for the first two rounds of the Truist Championship will begin at 11:09 a.m. in threesomes off Nos. 1 and 10. Bhatia plays with Matsuyama and Schauffele, while Theegala plays with Cameron Young and Max Greyserman and Rai tees up with Austin Eckroat and Will Zalatoris. McIlroy will tee up alongside Justin Thomas and Fleetwood. (ANI)
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