SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Sahith Theegala is ranked No. 22 within the Official World Golf Rating however he could also be extra pleased with his chess rating.
“I’m at my all-time Blitz ranking proper now. Like, I don’t wish to play, as a result of I do know I’m going to drop a bunch,” he mentioned.
Theegala’s golf rating might surge to a brand new excessive – his greatest is No. 18 – if he retains taking part in like he did Thursday in the course of the first spherical of the WM Phoenix Open. Theegala posted 6-under 65 at TPC Scottsdale to seize a two-stroke lead over Shane Lowry and S.H. Kim among the many finishers earlier than play was suspended resulting from darkness at 6:10 p.m. native time (8:10 p.m. ET).
“It’s not typically the place form of each a part of the sport truly form of clicks in the course of the course of the spherical,” Theegala mentioned. “It felt like by the bag I did one thing good with each membership.”
Theegala birdied six of his first 13 holes, together with a pitch-in for birdie at No. 2.
“I attempted to fly it fairly near the outlet and nip it,” Theegala defined. “I didn’t hit it extremely, so it landed on the down slope and received there. So, it was an awesome state of affairs into the wind and it’s all the time good to see it drop.”
Sahith Theegala made 7 birdies in his opening spherical 65 as we speak.
He now has 26 rounds with 7+ birdies or higher during the last 3 PGA Tour seasons. Solely 6 gamers have extra such rounds in that span (Scheffler, Finau, Cantlay, Im, Poston, Cam Younger).
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) February 9, 2024
Theegala made his lone bogey of the day at No. 5 proper earlier than play was suspended resulting from unplayable circumstances.
“I used to be relieved when the horn blew, sure,” mentioned Theegala, who loved lunch together with his mother and father and performed some chess puzzles in the course of the break after which made birdie at No. 6 when play resumed.
“Actually proud of the beginning,” he mentioned. “I performed nice and that’s all I can do, actually.”
Listed here are 4 extra issues to know from the primary spherical of the WM Phoenix Open.
Shane Lowry hits out of a bunker on the sixteenth gap in the course of the 2024 Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. (Picture: Joe Rondone/The Arizona Republic)
You already know its formally chilly when burly Irishman Shane Lowry confirms he was chilly.
“Actually it was horrible,” Lowry mentioned. “It was as robust circumstances as I can keep in mind for some time.”
It was so chilly at TPC Scottsdale that Lowry sidled over to some followers standing on the sixth gap within the rain and mentioned, “What are you guys doing out right here? Certainly you will discover the closest bar and do one thing else.”
However Lowry has had sufficient follow that he’s discovered methods to courageous the weather and he did so in spectacular style, carding 4-under 67 on Thursday.
“My palms have been as chilly as they’ve been shortly,” Lowry mentioned. “It’s a type of the place you needed to attempt to heat up your palms in some way earlier than each shot, since you lose the sensation in ’em. Particularly if you’re attempting to hit comfortable pictures or chips and putts, your contact form of goes just a little bit.
“To be 5 beneath by 9 on the market was like an enormous head begin on the sector.”
Lowry made his first bogey of the day at No. 16 and heard the boos, however mentioned he was proudest of responding with birdies at 17 and 18. How did he deal with the almost 3 ½-hour suspension of play?
“You trip it out. It’s a type of the place, the older you get, the extra you notice don’t let it have an effect on you, simply go in, relax,” he mentioned. “I’m fortunate, I’ve a few associates right here with me this week. We went out to my automotive within the car parking zone and we simply hung there for about two hours, warmed up, as a result of it was very chilly. Yeah, you simply get used to it because the years go on.”
Jordan Spieth putts on the sixteenth gap in the course of the 2024 Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. (Picture: Joe Rondone/The Arizona Republic)
Jordan Spieth shot 3-under 68 in tough circumstances however his spherical had just a little of every thing. He made a 55-foot birdie putt at No. 11, knocked his layup shot within the water on the par-5 fifteenth and dumped his tee shot at 16 within the sand, incomes boos, to make back-to-back bogeys. Then he holed a bunker shot at 18 for birdie. Simply your run-of-the-mill 2-under 34 for his first 9. Spieth is T-5 after signing for a 68.
Kevin Yu performs his shot from the third tee in the course of the first spherical of the 2024 WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. (Picture: Orlando Ramirez/Getty Photographs)
Kevin Yu was one of many earlier finishers, taking pictures 2-under 69 within the worst of the climate. However he wasn’t complaining. He was simply completely satisfied to be right here.
The Arizona State grad didn’t get into the sector final yr as a rookie on the PGA Tour and was figuring out at his coach’s health club situated 5 minutes from TPC Scottsdale. He was doing vertical jumps when “the tragedy occurred,” as he put it.
“After I landed I heard my (left) knee pop and I simply couldn’t stroll, so I received an MRI and I tore my meniscus, so I needed to get surgical procedure the week after,” Yu recounted Tuesday throughout his pre-tournament press convention. “I all the time attempt to measure how excessive I can soar, and I used to be attempting to leap as excessive as I can, and I suppose I used to be attempting too arduous, and after I landed, the knee simply occurred.”
Requested how excessive he can soar, he responded, “Not very excessive. That’s the factor I’ve been engaged on.”
He would miss 20 weeks following surgical procedure and rehab. However he’s off to an awesome begin this season, with a T-3 at The American Specific and a T-6 on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open. Yu entered the week fourth within the Aon Swing 5 standings and never but certified for subsequent week’s Genesis Invitational; the highest 5 gamers not in any other case exempt who earn probably the most FedExCup factors in the course of the Sony Open in Hawaii, The American Specific, Farmers Insurance coverage Open and WM Phoenix Open will qualify for The Genesis Invitational.
Water on the 18th inexperienced at TPC Scottsdale in the course of the first spherical of the 2024 WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. (Picture: Orlando Ramirez/Getty Photographs)
The PGA Tour stays beneath a black cloud of late.
On Sunday, the wind was so fierce at Pebble Seaside that the ultimate spherical was canceled and the AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am was shortened to 54 holes.
On Thursday, remnants of the storm made its technique to the desert and a band of rain that already had dumped greater than an inch of rain earlier within the week led officers to institute most popular lies on Thursday. A gentle rain fell sideways, resulting in a number of greens that changed into large puddles. Play was suspended for 3 hours, half-hour and referred to as for the day resulting from darkness at 6:10 p.m. native time, marking the third straight yr the opening spherical of the WM Phoenix Open has been suspended resulting from climate and/or darkness.
The whole afternoon wave has but to finish their spherical. These gamers might be again in place Friday at 7:30 a.m. native time (9:30 a.m. ET).
The temperature dipped into the excessive 40s in the course of the afternoon, and the morning forecast is for extra chilly climate, which suggests there might be a frost delay Friday.
The match has had three current suspensions resulting from frost, in 2013, 2016 and 2023. In 2011, there was a Monday end due frozen floor, which pushed the primary spherical to Friday that yr and led to a Monday end, the final time that occurred at TPC Scottsdale.
