Indian-origin teen brigade makes the cost into US Open this 12 months

Last January, Indian-origin golfer Akshay Bhatia had his fanboy second when he travelled with Phil Mickelson on the six-time main winner’s non-public jet for a European Tour occasion in Saudi Arabia. This week, the 19-year-old from North Carolina will share area with Mickelson as soon as once more — on the prestigious US Open, the place Bhatia will grow to be the youngest Indian-origin golfer to play in a Major championship.
Eight Indian golfers have performed at golf Majors earlier than. But Bhatia, a two-time Junior PGA Champion and silver medallist for USA on the 2018 Youth Olympics, is main a younger brigade of second-generation golfers of Indian origin.
Recently, 17-year-old Megha Ganne, a Holmdel, New Jersey scholar certain for Stanford, teed off to a first-round rating of 67, tying for the second-lowest rating for an beginner within the ladies’s US Open, earlier than ending tied-14th. Megha’s dad and mom have roots in Vijayawada and Bengaluru.
Another Indian-origin golfer 23-year-old Sahith Theegala, too, sealed his spot at Pennsylvania for the US Open, the third of 4 Majors with the very best profitable purse of $12.5 million.
Bhatia adopted his sister Rhea to California’s Santa Clarita golf course. Father Sunil traces his roots to Delhi however grew up in London and runs an actual property enterprise. Mother Renu manages a golf occasion firm. Rhea performed the collegiate circuit at Charlotte as Bhatia slowly warmed as much as the game.
“As a junior, I once watched the US Open at Pebble Beach in 2010 on TV and at my age, I am super excited to be in the field in the US Open next week. I have been getting so many messages on my Instagram from all over the world and from India and I hope to do justice to the huge expectations,” says Bhatia, chatting with The Indian Express over the cellphone from his house at Wake Forest, North Carolina.
Bhatia claimed his first PGA Junior Championship title in 2017 at St Albans with a brand new event document. Then, he set a brand new course document whereas defending the title subsequent 12 months, adopted by his skilled debut at Sanderson Farms in 2019.
The six-feet-tall left-hander performs apply rounds with Mickelson usually. “I see him as a mentor, friend and big brother and he does a lot for me. To see one of the legends of the game care about a 19-year-old kid is really cool. He has helped with my chipping and understanding of short game and course management,” says Bhatia, who likes to spend his free time fishing and bowling.
Training below coach Chase Duncan, and having honed his driving recreation earlier below swing coach George Gankas, {the teenager} seems to Tiger Woods for notes on the upcoming task. “Videos of Woods winning the US Open at Torrey Pines in 2008 helped me understand the pars at the course,” he says.
Mickelson was quoted by GolfWeek journal as saying: “For me, to play with young kids like Akshay, who are so talented, motivates me and makes me remember what it felt like to play golf as a kid. Because as he starts out on his career, you can sense his excitement for the game, his drive, his motivation, his work ethic, and that is infectious.”
Megha, too, is pushed by the fervour for golf but additionally has teachers to handle. She had a faculty calculus venture on her thoughts as she shot into the lead within the opening spherical on the US Open.
“After the opening round, I talked about the calculus project of researching Catenary Curves in an interview and it went viral on Twitter. My high school teacher tweeted that I am exempted from it and that’s the kind of support I have been getting from all. To win the lowest amateur medal and to see people rooting for me has been the biggest takeaway for me,” she advised The Indian Express.
Megha’s dad and mom — Hari and Dr Sudha Ganne — moved to the US within the Nineteen Nineties. “When Megha was 11, we took her to a putting clinic by three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth at Augusta prior to the Masters and she just wanted to compete in a golf Major one day,” says Hari, who runs an IT consultancy agency.
At the US Open, Megha adopted her sensational spherical of 67 with scores of 71 and 72, earlier than falling again on the ultimate day capturing five-over-77. “Jordan Spieth sent me wishes in a video message on Twitter,” she says.