Tony Finau makes a statement about Akshay Bhatia after playing with him at The Players

The 36-year-old from Salt Lake City burst out of the blocks earlier than 4 consecutive bogeys across the flip halted him in his tracks.

However, Finau made eight birdies on Thursday at TPC Sawgrass and that’s no imply feat given how tough the situations have been.

Meanwhile, Bhatia carded 4 birdies, a double bogey and a bogey in his opening spherical of 71 at The Players.

Bhatia won the Arnold Palmer Invitational final week and as a outcome, he is clearly filled with confidence now.

Tony Finau makes a statement about Akshay Bhatia after playing with him at The Players

Finau and Bhatia are shut associates away from the golf course.

And they clearly had a nice trip on the golf course on Thursday morning.

After his first spherical, Finau was requested what he fabricated from Bhatia’s sport after watching him up shut and private on day one in every of The Players.

“Yeah, Akshay is a good good friend so I do know him effectively,“ Finau mentioned.

“Super pumped for him and his crew coming off an unbelievable week. The child, I’ve mentioned it for a very long time, the longer term is — there is no ceiling for this child.

“To be capable of play with him, once more, he is a good good friend, and to have the ability to play with him when he is playing good golf, and me simply sort of attempting to play good golf, it was a lot of enjoyable.“

Bhatia is clearly very highly-rated amongst his fellow PGA Tour gamers.

Now the following step for him will likely be to contend within the very greatest tournaments on a constant foundation.

Tony Finau delivers verdict on TPC Sawgrass after day one in every of The Players

Finau was requested by reporters what his relationship with the golf course at TPC Sawgrass is like.

“After immediately’s spherical, in case you’re simply asking that, we have a good relationship,“ the 36-year-old mentioned.

“Eight birdies is sweet, I believe, round this place. If I can get rid of a few of these bogeys we’ll have a shot on Sunday, however I positively put myself in rivalry immediately.

“17 and 18, you are going to hear it by eternity. Those two pictures, when the wind is off the left, these are nightmare pictures, nightmare holes.

“I’ve acquired to play them higher over the following few days. But these holes are about as arduous because it will get.“

Finau performed very effectively on day one in every of The Players Championship.

If he manages to tidy up his sport ever so barely, he could effectively have a actual probability to win come Sunday afternoon.