Southampton, New York, USA: Three golfers of Indian origin delivered impressive performances at the U.S. Open held at Shinnecock Hills, with Sahith Theegala, Aaron Rai and Akshay Bhatia all securing top-20 finishes in one of golf’s most prestigious major championships.
Among the trio, Sahith Theegala registered the strongest result, finishing tied for 11th place at two-over par after carding a final-round score of 73. The performance marked the best U.S. Open finish of his professional career.
Born in Simi Valley, California, to parents from Andhra Pradesh, Theegala turned professional in 2021 following a highly successful collegiate career at Pepperdine University, where he earned All-American honors three times. Since joining the PGA Tour, he has established himself as one of the circuit’s emerging talents through his aggressive style of play and shot-making ability.
Aaron Rai also finished tied for 11th after recovering from a slow start to the tournament. Born in Wolverhampton, England, to parents of Indian origin, Rai climbed the leaderboard with steady performances during the closing rounds. His strong showing came shortly after securing the PGA Championship title, further highlighting his consistent form on the PGA Tour.
Akshay Bhatia claimed a share of 17th place after producing a final-round score of 70. The 22-year-old continued his impressive season with another notable display in a major championship.
Born in Durham, North Carolina, Bhatia turned professional at the age of 17, choosing to bypass college golf and compete directly on tour. Widely regarded as one of golf’s brightest young prospects, he further strengthened that reputation with another solid finish on a major stage.
The collective performances of Theegala, Rai and Bhatia reflected the growing influence of golfers of Indian heritage in professional golf and major tournaments.
Meanwhile, defending champion Wyndham Clark captured the U.S. Open title after leading the tournament from the opening round. Despite seeing his six-shot advantage reduced during the final round, Clark maintained control to secure his second U.S. Open championship.
The results achieved by Theegala, Rai and Bhatia represent one of the strongest collective performances by golfers of Indian origin in a major championship, underlining their increasing prominence on the global golfing stage.
