Defending Bakersfield Open champion Bling shoots 63, leads by 3

Defending Bakersfield Open champion Devon Bling began his quest for a repeat by shooting an eight-under-par 63 during Wednesday’s opening round to seize the early lead at the $150,000 Asher Tour’s major event at Bakersfield Country Club.

Bling, who won the 2024 event with a 13-under-par total, was in the morning shotgun start group. He established himself with nine birdies — six on the front nine — and only bogeyed on No. 11. He made par on three of the course’s four par-3s, so the Ridgecrest resident’s score could have been even lower. He did birdie No. 17, a par-3 hole.

Bling, who prepped at Burroughs High School and played at UCLA, has a three-shot lead over another former Bakersfield Open winner, Bakersfield’s Bhavik Patel. The latter’s five-under 66, also in the morning round, featured six birdies, including on two par-3 holes. His lone bogey came on No. 9. Patel is a four-time Bakersfield Open winner and a former Korn Ferry Tour player. He last won the Open in 2023.

Two more golfers, Patrick Flavin and Jonathan Yoshihiro, finished their morning round with a 67 and three players in the afternoon shotgun start, Bakersfield’s Manav Shah, Sam Sommerhauser and Harry Doig, also carded a 67 to tie for third.

Thursday’s second round will again be a shotgun start with the morning group teeing off at 7:45 a.m. and the afternoon group at 12:45 p.m. The top 36 players and ties after Thursday’s round advance to Friday’s final round, which is expected to have tee times from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The tournament is open to the public and admission is free.