Overview
- Bhatia posted a five-over 77 in Thursday’s first round in Gurugram, tying him near 98th and roughly nine to ten shots behind early leader Freddy Schott.
- Starting on the 10th, he hit his opening drive out of bounds for double bogey, then incurred a two-shot penalty for playing a wrong ball on the par-5 15th that fed a triple bogey, and he turned at eight over after another double on 18.
- He steadied on his second nine with a bogey-free 33 that included birdies at Nos. 3, 5, and 8, saying he was relieved not to shoot 80 and that he would not give up.
- Under Rule 6.3c, playing a wrong ball costs two strokes, and a player must correct the mistake before teeing off the next hole or risk disqualification, which Bhatia avoided by fixing it on 15.
- The round marked his long‑planned India debut six years after a canceled 2020 invite, a trip he prioritized over the Houston Open, the TGL finals, and an Augusta scouting visit.