Akshay Bhatia Cards 77 in Hero Indian Open Debut

Akshay Bhatia endured a challenging opening round at the Hero Indian Open on Thursday, carding a 5-over-par 77 in his debut at the tournament held at DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram, India. The 24-year-old American, whose parents hail from Delhi, started on the back nine and faced immediate setbacks, including an out-of-bounds tee shot on the 10th hole and a two-shot penalty for striking the wrong ball on the 15th, where he also recorded a triple bogey.

Bhatia, ranked No. 22 in the world and a three-time PGA Tour winner, began the event as one of the favorites after his recent victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March. That triumph, secured in a playoff against Daniel Berger, highlighted his strong short game and mental resilience, with Bhatia gaining a record 16.3 strokes around the greens. However, the Gary Player-designed course, known for its punishing layout and narrow fairways, tested his accuracy from the outset. After five holes, his scorecard showed two bogeys, a double bogey and a birdie, but the errors compounded, leaving him 8 over after his front nine.

Showing composure, Bhatia steadied himself on the inward half, where he played flawlessly with three...