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La Quinta (California), Jan 26 (IANS) Sahith Theegala finished a solid week with a perfect final round, earning his first Top-10 finish in over a year. Meanwhile, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler reaffirmed his dominance by winning The American Express by four shots.

Theegala carded a bogey-free 7-under 65 on the final day, steadily climbing the leaderboard to finish tied for eighth at 21-under par. This was his first Top-10 finish on the PGA TOUR since the 2024 Tour Championship and provided a much-needed boost following a challenging 2025 season affected by injuries.

The Indian-origin American’s performance was especially impressive considering his slow beginning to the week. After shooting a 1-under 71 in the first round, he was tied for 118th place. However, he made a strong comeback over the next three days, with rounds of 64, 67, and 65. During this streak, Theegala recorded two bogey-free rounds, showcasing a remarkable rally.

On Sunday, Theegala dominated the game, securing three birdies on the front nine and four more on the back. He wrapped up his round by birdieing two of his last three holes, showcasing his regained confidence and steady play. Although he finished six shots behind the winner, the week marked a promising comeback to form.

Meanwhile, Akshay Bhatia and Sudarshan Yellamaraju, the other players of Indian origin, did not make the cut.

Meanwhile, at the top of the leaderboard, Scheffler continued his dominant streak. Starting the final round two shots behind, the world No. 1 made an impressive run of birdies, totalling nine, and finished with a 6-under 66. This secured him a four-shot win with a total score of 27-under par.

Scheffler’s round had some setbacks — an early bogey and a late double bogey briefly interrupted his rhythm — but his consistent scoring kept him in control. A streak of four birdies in six holes on the front nine allowed him to surpass overnight leader Si Woo Kim and young star Blades Brown, extending his lead to six shots by the end of the round.

He ultimately finished four strokes ahead of Jason Day (64), Ryan Gerard (65), Matt McCarty (68), and Andrew Putnam (68), maintaining a pattern of decisive victories. Nine out of Scheffler’s 20 PGA TOUR wins have now been by four or more shots.

Scheffler's 20th PGA Tour victory, achieved in just four years, secured him lifetime Tour membership. He became one of the select few, alongside Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, to win 20 PGA Tour titles and four major championships before turning 30.

Teenager Blades Brown, who garnered significant attention all week, briefly made a threat on Sunday but quickly faded as Scheffler shifted into overdrive.

Scheffler will take a brief break before heading back to the WM Phoenix Open, where his impressive streak on the PGA Tour started four years ago.

--IANS

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