Akshay Bhatia used a stellar start to his PGA Tour postseason as a springboard to the big leagues. Amazingly, he scored an eagle-birdie-birdie trifecta that rocketed him to a mind-blowing 8-under 62. This tournament marks a new career low for the young golfer. It moves him to the front at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, catapulting him to a one-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood of all people.
The tournament couldn’t have started on a more competitive note, with Bhatia starting the FedEx Cup playoffs at No. 45. His scorching beginning isn’t just an indicator of his impressive talent, but it’s an encouraging sign for what’s to come over the long haul. Bhatia had an impressive amount of precision all day, especially as he finished with 13 fairways hit of 14 total. He only missed one single fairway, and that proved to be the key. He expertly holed a complicated bunker shot for an exhilarating birdie!
Bhatia’s grit was apparent in his game, making a beautiful 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole. He only further proved his genius at taking lemons and putting 7 points on the board. He finished in style, knocking a short iron two feet to the hole on the par-5 18th. This incredible photo finish was just the icing on the cake of a great finish. He completed his day with four straight birdies. Beyond his technical prowess, this remarkable feat further demonstrated his poise and mental toughness on the biggest stage.
Throughout the day, Bhatia matched strides with fellow golfer Harry Hall, maintaining a competitive edge until the final two holes of play. It’s his steady, consistent, even play that has vaulted him into the top 50 ranking. This jump speaks volumes about his emerging star power on tour. In the end, he admitted, he has just spent too much time pondering those digits, thinking about the stress that comes with competitive fire.
Even with the pressure of the tournament’s high stakes, Bhatia’s self-assuredness is bolstered by his strong play as of late. He expressed hope for more room to maneuver in the coming days, indicating a strategic approach to navigating the remaining rounds of the championship. Bhatia, though, is far ahead and has quite a record himself. He will hope to maximize this new momentum as he comes up against the very best such as Fleetwood.
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