Day: September 24, 2020

Akshay Bhatia, Will Zalatoris are under par in PuntacanaAkshay Bhatia, Will Zalatoris are under par in Puntacana

September 24, 2020September 24, 2020| 15:30

A couple of non-members on the PGA TOUR are looking to take advantage of a good opportunity this week at the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship. 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. RELATED: Leaderboard | Bhatia takes fast track to PGA TOUR | Zalatoris making most of TOUR call-up 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."

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Justin Suh, 23, shoots 67 at Corales PuntacanaJustin Suh, 23, shoots 67 at Corales Puntacana

September 24, 2020September 24, 2020| 15:15

Last year, Justin Suh shared a stage with Matthew Wolff, Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland for a press conference celebrating the next crop of promising prospects coming out of college. Suh was a two-time first-team All-American and had held the top spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He, too, was expected to have quick success. But while the other three players he sat alongside last June have all won on the PGA TOUR, Suh has struggled with a wrist injury that necessitated a swing change. RELATED: Leaderboard He was given a sponsor exemption into this week's Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship, and in the first round he flashed some of the potential that he showed at USC, where he set the school's single-season records for scoring average (68.7) and wins (five). Suh shot 67 on Thursday, tying his career-low round on the PGA TOUR. It's a good start as he tries to join Morikawa, Wolff and Hovland as winners on the PGA TOUR. Suh, a native of San Jose, California, said it's been great to see those guys compete in and win majors, but he's eager to reach their level. "They really got their game together just right off the bat after turning pro," he said. "Matt (Wolff) just finished second at the U.S. Open and Collin (Morikawa) winning the PGA (Championship). ... I played with Collin a couple weeks ago and got him in an 18-hole match, so the game’s there, it’s just a matter of putting it together at a tournament." The 23-year-old said he's feeling totally healthy now after the wrist injury that occurred during his first few starts on the PGA TOUR. The nagging feeling had him change his setup, he said, in order to feel comfortable. "It was something that was needed for the long run," he said of his change. He's seen some promising signs since making the change, including three consecutive top-10s on the LOCALiQ Series, a U.S.-based circuit for members of the PGA TOUR's international tours. Suh started Thursday with back-to-back bogeys but birdied three of the final five holes on his opening nine. He made three birdies and an eagle - on the par-5 7th - on his second nine to put a bow on his opening-round 67. Suh said the course received some rain overnight and the wind wasn't blowing as hard as he assumed it would be early Thursday, which made for more gettable conditions. Not only was Suh inspired by the success of the fellow members of the Class of 2019, but this week he's been paired with Will Zalatoris - who is No. 1 on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List and is coming off a T6 at the U.S. Open. "He’s kind of been the guy to beat this week. Fortunately enough, I’m paired with him and we were just kind of trading birdies and the last five holes had a good finish," said Suh. "Putts were rolling in and hopefully they continue to roll in for the rest of the week." Now fully healthy, Suh will take his opening round as a positive sign that he's on track to join that celebrated Class of 2019 as TOUR winners sooner rather than later.

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