HOUSTON: Indian-American golfer Sahith Theegala made a strong start to the week, finishing tied for 11th with a score of 3-under 67 after the opening round of the Texas Children's Houston Open here.
Theegala is four strokes behind Paul Warring, who leads the field after the opening day with a bogey-free 7-under 63.
Indian-born Canadian golfer Sudarshan Yellamaraju is placed tied-59th after carding an 1-under 69.
Theegala, who is battling to secure a spot in the Masters, began his round on the back nine and dropped an early shot with a bogey on the 11th hole. He made his first birdie on the 16th to reach even par at the turn.
On the front nine, he played bogey free and birdied the third, sixth and eighth holes to end the day with four birdies and a bogey.
Yellamaraju also started his round on the back nine and had birdies on the 12th and 16th holes before making a double bogey on the 17th to be even par on the turn.
On the front nine, Yellamaraju, who has graduated from the Korn Ferry to PGA Tour this season, dropped shots on the first, fourth and ninth holes. Birdies on the third and sixth along with an eagle on the eighth allowed the 24-year-old to finish the day at 1-under 69.
Warring, the 41-year-old Englishman, who has won two titles on the DP World Tour, made seven birdies in his opening round. He had birdies on the 10th, 12th, 13th, 16th and 18th holes to be 5-under par at the turn.
On the front nine, he made birdies on the fifth and sixth holes and was one stroke ahead of Gary Woodland.
Woodland, who has won four PGA Tour titles including the U.S. Open in 2019, carded 6-under 64 to be sole second. Woodland, who has not won since his triumph in the U.S. Open seven years ago, made seven birdies and a bogey.