Akshay Bhatia, Will Zalatoris are under par in Puntacana
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Akshay Bhatia’s journey to professional golf
18-year-old Akshay Bhatia and Monday Qualifier Luke Graboyes were both 3-under in Thursday’s opening round in the Dominican Republic. Will Zalatoris, who leads the Korn Ferry Tour’s Points List and accepted a Sponsor Exemption into the event after a T6 at the U.S. Open, is a shot further back at 2-under.
Zalatoris is currently on a record-setting pace on the Korn Ferry Tour with 11 straight top-20 finishes.
Bhatia, meanwhile, earned his spot this week after a T9 at the Safeway Open. He returned home to let his body rest after his first four-round effort on the PGA TOUR last week before heading to Punta Cana.
“I know I’m good enough to post good numbers consistently,” Bhatia said.
Bhatia, who had a successful junior golf career before turning professional in 2019, said he felt more comfortable on the first tee at Corales than he did at the Safeway Open – part of the professional golf learning process, he said.
“The more experience I can get the better I can learn for myself,” he said.
Bhatia admitted he didn’t drive it well but rolled in some solid putts on No’s 7 and 8 before chipping in for a third-straight birdie on the par-3 9th.
“It’s a new week, anything could happen,” he said. “I just have to take it day-by-day.”
For Monday Qualifier Graboyes, a Cornell alum, he’s been waiting for more than 180 days for his shot on the PGA TOUR stage.
He originally got into this event when it was on the schedule during the 2019-20 season.
This is his first start in a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event after a decorated career at Cornell where he led the school in scoring average for three consecutive seasons and won the Ivy League championship as a junior.
He said Thursday’s round at Corales was akin to his start at Second Stage of Q-School, where the grass was similar. But, he said, there was a lot more wind and more variety of conditions.
“It was a challenge, especially for my first round,” he admitted.
Graboyes made four birdies to just one bogey Thursday. The highlight, he said, was on the par-4 13th when he “whiffed” his drive and had nearly 200 yards to the hole. He ripped a six iron, he said, to 15 feet androlled in the putt.
After a good start, he’s hoping to find the weekend and make a good week even better.
“This,” he said, “is the biggest event of my life so far.”