Tony Finau played alongside Akshay Bhatia on day one of the Players Championship.
Finau posted a topsy-turvy round of three-under-par 69 on Thursday at The Players Championship, while Bhatia carded a 71.
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The 36-year-old from Salt Lake City burst out of the blocks before four consecutive bogeys around the turn halted him in his tracks.
However, Finau made eight birdies on Thursday at TPC Sawgrass and that is no mean feat given how difficult the conditions were.
Meanwhile, Bhatia carded four birdies, a double bogey and a bogey in his opening round of 71 at The Players.
Bhatia won the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week and as a result, he’s obviously full of confidence now.
Tony Finau makes a statement about Akshay Bhatia after playing with him at The Players
Finau and Bhatia are close friends away from the golf course.
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And they clearly had a great time out on the golf course on Thursday morning.
After his first round, Finau was asked what he made of Bhatia’s game after watching him up close and personal on day one of The Players.
Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images
“Yeah, Akshay is a good friend so I know him well,“ Finau said.
“Super pumped for him and his team coming off an unbelievable week. The kid, I’ve said it for a long time, the future is — there’s no ceiling for this kid.
“To be able to play with him, again, he’s a good friend, and to be able to play with him when he’s playing good golf, and me just kind of trying to play good golf, it was a lot of fun.“
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Bhatia is clearly very highly-rated amongst his fellow PGA Tour players.
Now the next step for him will be to contend in the very biggest tournaments on a consistent basis.
Tony Finau delivers verdict on TPC Sawgrass after day one of The Players
Finau was asked by reporters what his relationship with the golf course at TPC Sawgrass is like.
“After today’s round, if you’re just asking that, we’ve got a good relationship,“ the 36-year-old said.
“Eight birdies is good, I think, around this place. If I can eliminate some of those bogeys we’ll have a shot on Sunday, but I definitely put myself in contention today.
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“17 and 18, you’re going to hear it through eternity. Those two shots, when the wind is off the left, those are nightmare shots, nightmare holes.
“I’ve got to play them better over the next few days. But those holes are about as hard as it gets.“
Finau played very well on day one of The Players Championship.
If he manages to tidy up his game ever so slightly, he may well have a real chance to win come Sunday afternoon.
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