Ontario, June 12 (IANS) Indian-American golfer Sahith Theegala produced one of his best rounds of the season to move into a share of the lead after the opening day of the RBC Canadian Open, offering further signs that his game is trending in the right direction ahead of next week’s U.S. Open.

Theegala fired a flawless-looking 6-under 64 at TPC Toronto, joining a six-way tie for first place alongside Major champion Brooks Koepka, Sam Burns, Emiliano Grillo, Eric Cole, and Matthew Anderson. It marked one of Theegala’s strongest starts of 2026 and underlined the progress he has been making despite a run of results that has not always reflected the quality of his play.

Among the other players of Indian origin in the field, Aaron Rai and Sudarshan Yellamaraju opened with identical rounds of 1-under 69 and were positioned well inside the chasing pack. Canadian qualifier Jeevan Sihota, making his PGA Tour debut, carded a 1-over 71 and had work to do going into the second round.

While the leaderboard was tightly packed, Theegala’s performance stood out because of the composure he displayed after a tricky beginning. Starting his round on the 10th hole, he was immediately tested when his approach narrowly avoided finding water. A brilliant chip-in helped him save the situation and set the tone for a resilient day.

Although he dropped a shot at the 11th, Theegala quickly responded with a birdie at the next hole and added another gain at the 18th to turn in 2-under. He then accelerated on his second nine, collecting birdies at the first, second, sixth, and eighth holes to complete an impressive round of 64.

Reflecting on his performance, Theegala credited his short game for keeping the round together during the early stages.

“My whole game felt really nice,” he said. “I didn’t strike it that well at the start, and my short game really saved me. Once I settled in after a few holes, I started hitting the ball much better, and things became a lot more comfortable.”

The Hero-supported golfer explained that the conditions were more challenging than the scores suggested. Strong crosswinds and the tree-lined nature of the course often made judging shots difficult.

According to Theegala, the wind was deceptive because players could not always feel its strength from the fairways. Once the ball climbed above the tree line, however, it could be pushed significantly off its intended path. Combined with sloping greens, the course demanded total commitment on every shot.

Despite not producing many headline finishes this season, Theegala believes his game has remained close to a breakthrough. “I think the results over the last couple of months haven’t been great, but the golf has been there,” he said. “You have to stay positive. I’m making a lot of cuts, which means something is working. You just keep believing and keep moving forward.”

Elsewhere, Koepka also impressed, birdieing four of his final five holes to join the lead group. The former U.S. Open champion continues to search for a deep PGA Tour run since returning to a fuller schedule.

With six players sharing the lead at 64 and a dozen competitors posting rounds of 65 or better, the tournament remains wide open. For Indian golf followers, however, the biggest takeaway from day one was Theegala’s return to the forefront, a timely confidence boost as the season heads into one of its most important stretches.

–IANS

bsk/