Indian-origin stars Theegala, Bhatia eye momentum shift at Truist Championship

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Charlotte (USA), May 6 (IANS) As the PGA Tour heads to North Carolina for one of its premier Signature events, attention turns to a group of rising Indian-origin golfers aiming to regain rhythm and make a strong impression. With several high-profile names returning and others absent, the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow Club promises a compelling mix of storylines.

Akshay Bhatia, the only Indian-origin winner on the PGA Tour this season, headlines the trio alongside Sahith Theegala and Sudarshan Yellamaraju. All three have demonstrated encouraging progress in recent weeks and will look to capitalize on that form.

Theegala, in particular, has been consistent, registering four top-10 finishes this season, including a notable tie for sixth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. His regular presence in Signature events highlights his growing stature on Tour.

Bhatia’s season began on a high note with a victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but a dip followed as he missed cuts in back-to-back events, including the Hero Indian Open and the Masters. He now arrives at Quail Hollow determined to rediscover his earlier momentum.

Meanwhile, Yellamaraju, the Indo-Canadian golfer, has quietly impressed with two top-10 finishes this year, including a solid showing at The Players Championship.

The field also features several in-form international players. Cameron Young has been one of the standout performers, already securing two victories this season, including the recent Cadillac Championship. His consistent results, including a top-three finish at the Masters, make him a strong contender yet again. He also won the PLAYERS.

Another player drawing attention is Matt Fitzpatrick, who has enjoyed a remarkable run with three wins in his last four starts. One of those victories came alongside his brother Alex Fitzpatrick at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The Fitzpatrick brothers have made history this year, becoming the first siblings to win tournaments on different tours in consecutive weeks. Matt’s triumphs also include the RBC Heritage and Valspar Championship, underlining his exceptional form.

Alex Fitzpatrick has also made strides, earning his PGA Tour card with the Zurich Classic win and following it up with a top-10 finish at the Cadillac Championship in his first start since qualifying.

Notably absent from this week’s line-up are world number one Scottie Scheffler and Indo-British golfer Aaron Rai. While Scheffler has opted for rest, Rai will compete at Myrtle Beach after missing qualification for this Signature event.

–IANS

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Hockey India congratulate PR Sreejesh on receiving the prestigious Padma Bhushan

New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) PR Sreejesh, former goalkeeper of the Indian Men’s Hockey Team and current coach of the Indian Junior Men’s Team, has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award.

Hockey India on Monday, proudly congratulated Sreejesh for receiving this prestigious recognition.

This remarkable recognition places Sreejesh alongside the legendary Major Dhyan Chand, making him only the second hockey player in history to receive the Padma Bhushan. Dhyan Chand was bestowed with this honour in 1956, and nearly seven decades later, Sreejesh’s contribution to Indian hockey earns him a place among the greats.

Celebrated as the “God of Modern Indian Hockey,” Sreejesh enjoyed a glittering 18-year international career, earning 336 caps for India before bidding farewell to professional hockey after the Paris 2024 Olympics. True to form, he delivered a series of stunning performances to help India clinch a Bronze medal, following up on the historic Bronze win at Tokyo 2020.

Throughout his distinguished career, Sreejesh collected numerous accolades, including the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year Award three times (2021, 2022, and 2024), the Arjuna Award in 2015, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021, and the World Games Athlete of the Year in 2021. Since making his senior international debut in 2010, he became a backbone of the Indian defense, known for his composure and brilliance under pressure.

Transitioning smoothly into coaching, Sreejesh led the Indian junior team to a memorable Junior Asia Cup title win in November 2024, continuing to contribute to Indian hockey’s growing success story.

Sreejesh’s impressive resume also includes appearances at four Olympic Games (London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024), two Asian Games Gold medals (2014 and 2022), an Asian Games Bronze medal (2018), and two Commonwealth Games Silver medals (2014 and 2022). He also played a pivotal role in India’s triumph at the Asian Champions Trophy on four occasions (2011, 2016, 2018, and 2023).

Reflecting on this significant honour, Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said, “PR Sreejesh’s contribution to Indian hockey, both as a player and now as a coach, has been extraordinary. He exemplifies dedication, excellence, and leadership. This Padma Bhushan is a fitting tribute to a career that has inspired countless young players across India. On behalf of Hockey India, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to him and his family.”

Adding to the sentiments, Hockey India Secretary General Shri Bhola Nath Singh stated, “Sreejesh has been the heart of Indian hockey’s resurgence on the world stage. His achievements are not just personal milestones but proud moments for the entire hockey fraternity. We are extremely proud of him and look forward to seeing him shape the future of Indian hockey through his coaching.”

–IANS

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GOAT India Tour: Celebrity match, football clinic and meeting with PM Narendra Modi in Messi’s Delhi leg itinerary

New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) Lionel Messi is likely to have a busy and heavily structured itinerary when his GOAT Tour comes to New Delhi on Monday, which is the fourth and final leg of his visit to India after stops in Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai.

Messi’s itinerary in the Indian capital consists of an exhibition game, a stage event, a football clinic for children and several high-profile private meetings; therefore, Delhi has taken precautionary measures for large crowds and traffic jams to prepare for Messi’s arrival.

All events will take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. All gates open at 11:30 AM, and media personnel must enter through Gate No. 6. All attendees must be seated before the commencement of the programme at 2:30 PM. The programme will kick off at 2:30 PM with welcome music and will continue with a celebrity football match at 2:50 PM. Messi is expected to participate in the celebrity match at 3:30 PM and a football clinic for 30 children at 3:45 PM.

A stage ceremony is scheduled for 4.20 pm, which will also feature the GOAT Cup exhibition match. Attending this event includes Virat Kohli.

Later in the day, Messi is expected to attend a private meet-and-greet at around 4.30 pm. According to the tentative agenda, the first meeting will include Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the second interaction is expected with the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief Justice of India, underscoring the high-profile nature of the visit.

In light of the event, the Delhi Traffic Police has implemented traffic restrictions throughout Central Delhi on Monday from 12:00 AM – 5:00 PM, and parking around Arun Jaitley Stadium is prohibited (with towing/penalties enforced). Authorities advise using public transportation (Metro/buses) to avoid traffic congestion.

–IANS

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4th Test: I don’t think anyone has treated Bumrah like this, says Shastri on Konstas’s knock

New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS) Former India coach Ravi Shastri showered high praise on Sam Konstas for his brilliant knock against India on the opening day of the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday, describing the Australian debutant opener’s maiden half-century as an exhibition of swagger and skill reminiscent of the legendary Virender Sehwag.

Konstas turned heads on the first day of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, defying convention and dismantling India’s potent bowling attack with a fearless display of stroke play. The 19-year-old debutant’s audacious approach, particularly against the formidable Jasprit Bumrah, drew praise and comparisons to cricketing legends from pundits and former players. “I don’t think anyone has taken or treated Bumrah like that in any format of the game, let alone red-ball cricket,” Shastri remarked in his comments on Star Sports network. “For him to go out there with that swag and attempt some outrageous shots—it was something else. He tore that MCC coaching manual to shreds.”

Konstas’s ramp shots and bold pulls left the Indian bowlers scrambling for answers. Shastri recounted how the Indian team initially underestimated the young batter, only to see their confidence evaporate as he began to dominate. “They thought, ‘If he takes chances, we’ll get him quickly’. But as soon as this started happening, all the smiles disappeared. The ideas disappeared,” Shastri noted. “At one point, it felt like India had run out of ideas. They actually didn’t know what hit them.”

Drawing parallels with legendary India opener Sehwag, Shastri predicted a bright future for Konstas. “He reminds me a lot of Virender Sehwag when he first burst onto the scene. He’ll entertain when he gets going, and he’s born to entertain. If he plays for any length of time for Australia, he’ll do exactly that,” Shastri added.

Former Australia batter and coach Justin Langer also heaped praises on Konstas, highlighting the difficulty of attacking a bowler like Bumrah. “He’s been given a license to go and attack Bumrah, but that’s not easy—that is so hard to do. Even in T20 cricket, Bumrah’s economy rate is as good as anyone’s. So it’s not easy to do that,” Langer said.

Langer revealed that the Indian team did not expect Konstas to play with such audacity. “I did speak to K.L. Rahul before the game. And I said, ‘Have you seen this kid Sam Konstas?’ He said, ‘Oh, we only saw him in the Prime Minister’s XI game. He was playing these ramp shots and all this sort of stuff’. Rahul said, ‘But he won’t do that today.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, sure he won’t do that today’. And straight away, Sam Konstas was doing that.”

Konstas’s bold approach laid the foundation for Australia’s strong position at stumps on Thursday with 311/6 with Steve Smith (68 not out) and skipper Pat Cummins (batting on 8) at the crease.

Shastri acknowledged that Australia held the upper hand but credited India for clawing back into the contest.

“At one stage, it looked like Australia would bat India out of the contest. When Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith were together, had that partnership carried on, Australia could have ended the day three or four down and in a tremendous position,” Shastri said.

–IANS

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