Miami [US], January 5 : Indian-American Sahith Theegala, who is one of the rising stars on the PGA Tour, made 10 birdies as he carded 9-under 64 to take the lead at The Sentry, the opening event of the 2024 season on the PGA Tour.
His card included six birdies in a row from the turn as he chases a second PGA Tour victory following his maiden win at the Fortinet Championship last September.
Akshay Bhatia, another Indian American who won his maiden title in 2023, shot 4-under 69 and was lying T-25 at the Par-73 course.
The Sentry is the first event of the 2024 PGA Tour Season and serves as the season-opening event on the PGA Tour schedule for the first time since 2013; after 10 wraparound seasons, the TOUR returns to a calendar year schedule, with 36 Regular Season events followed by the Playoffs and Fall.
The Sentry is the first of eight Signature Events in 2024, which offer increased purse sizes ($20 million) and FedExCup points to the winner (700).
Korea's Sungjae Im fired a stellar 8-under 65 to match his tournament-low score and was in a group of five in second place.
Reigning champion Viktor Hovland, two-time major champion Collin Morikawa, Australian Jason Day, Sungjae Im and Colombia's Camilla Villegas shot 65 each to share second place.
Im, 25, hit nine birdies for a share of second place, one back of leader Sahith Theegala, as he showed his liking for the Plantation Course in Kapalua, Maui, once again.
Its compatriot Tom Kim sank an eagle and four birdies en route to a 68 while debutant Byeong Hun An, also from Korea, pencilled down seven birdies against two bogeys for joint 19th place. Si Woo Kim returned a 70 for T37 while eight-time PGA TOUR winner Hideki Matsuyama carded a 71 for tied 46th position.
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