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Three golfers of Indian origin finish in top 20 at U.S. Open
Sahith Theegala, Aaron Rai and Akshay Bhatia record strong performances at Shinnecock Hills.
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Ankita Baidya - Tue, 23, Jun 2026
- 05:20 EDT
- 22
Sahith Theegala, Akshay Bhatia and Aaron Rai each finished inside the top 20 at the US Open at Shinnecock Hills. / PGA Tour
Three golfers of Indian origin finished inside the top 20 at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, with Sahith Theegala, Aaron Rai and Akshay Bhatia all posting notable results at one of golf's four major championships.
Theegala recorded the best finish among the trio, carding a final-round 73 to finish tied for 11th place at two-over par. It was the strongest US Open performance of his career.
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Sahith, who was born in Simi Valley, California, to parents from Andhra Pradesh, turned professional in 2021 after a successful collegiate career at Pepperdine University, where he was a three-time All-American. Since joining the PGA Tour, he has established himself as one of the circuit's rising stars, earning recognition for his aggressive approach and shot-making ability.
Aaron Rai, who was born in Wolverhampton, England, to Indian-origin parents, has emerged as one of the PGA Tour's most consistent performers in recent seasons. His strong finish at Shinnecock Hills came just weeks after capturing the PGA Championship title.
Rai also finished tied for 11th after recovering from a slow start to the tournament. The England-born golfer, whose parents are of Indian origin, moved up the leaderboard with consistent play over the final rounds.
Akshay Bhatia finished tied for 17th after closing with a final-round 70. The 22-year-old continued a strong season with another solid showing in a major championship.
Bhatia, born in Durham, North Carolina, turned professional at age 17 and bypassed college golf to compete on tour. At 22, he is regarded as one of the game's promising young talents and continued that progress with another solid performance in a major championship.
The performances highlighted the growing presence of golfers of Indian heritage on the PGA Tour and in major tournaments.
Defending champion Wyndham Clark secured the US Open title after leading the tournament from start to finish. Entering the final round with a six-shot advantage, Clark saw his lead reduced during Sunday's play but held on to claim his second US Open championship.
Theegala, Rai and Bhatia were among a group of players who remained in contention for top finishes throughout the week on the challenging Shinnecock Hills course.
Their results marked one of the strongest collective performances by golfers of Indian origin at a major championship and underscored their increasing prominence in professional golf.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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