Indian American Akshay Bhatia one round away from Augusta berth, seeks second PGA Tour
Bhatia was at 15-under 201. After McCarthy, the next closest player to the lead was Brendon Todd, who shot 70 and was seven shots behind.
Indian golfer Arjun Atwal produced a fine show despite a reluctant putter before he was pulled back by a triple bogey on his second nine in the first round of the Barbasol Championships here.
The only Indian winner of a PGA Tournament, Atwal, who had two great rounds at Quicken Loans before fading to tied 55th position, is playing only his fourth event on the Tour this season.
The first round play was suspended on Thursday because of darkness on a day when it was humid after a rain delay of two hours.
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Atwal, starting on the 10th, was three-under in his first seven holes with birdies on 11th, 15th, 16th before hitting his first bogey on 17th, when he missed a par putt from eight feet.
On the second nine, he ran into disaster with a triple when he went into water and out of bounds for a seven on Par-4 third.
But he quickly recovered with birdies on fourth, fifth and eighth. Atwal missed at least four to five more putts from around 11 feet.
Zac Blair, Martin Flores and Cameron Tringale shared the lead at six-under 65 when first-round play was suspended because of darkness.
Flores and Tringale played in the morning at Grand National's Lake Course, and Blair finished his afternoon round in humid conditions after a rain delay of nearly two hours.
The three leaders are winless on the PGA Tour.
Robert Allenby, Chad Campbell, Rory Sabbatini and Tag Ridings shot 66, and Richy Werenski also was five-under with two holes left.
Jim Furyk opened with a 69. The 47-year-old US Ryder Cup captain is playing the event after failing to qualify for the British Open.
Davis Love III, at 53 the oldest player in the field, had a 72 — a stroke better than son Dru Love in their third tournament together
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