Jackson (USA)– Akshay Bhatia endured a disappointing start at the 2025 Sanderson Farms Championship, carding an even-par 72 in Thursday’s opening round to finish tied for 88th at the Country Club of Jackson.
Bhatia, entering the Fall season PGA Tour event as a betting favorite, struggled with consistency. After back-to-back bogeys on the seventh and eighth holes, he turned at two over. He clawed back with birdies on the 10th, 12th, and 13th, but further bogeys on the 14th and 16th offset his recovery, despite picking up a birdie at the 15th. He will need a strong second round to climb the leaderboard and stay in contention.
At the top, Eric Cole, Sam Ryder, Danny Walker, and Garrick Higgo shared the first-round lead with matching seven-under 65s. Ryder produced a bogey-free round, Walker closed with consecutive birdies, and Cole tallied an impressive 10 birdies to overcome a late double bogey. Higgo, meanwhile, continued his comeback from injury with a solid showing after an earlier win this year.
Ryder currently sits at No. 110 in the FedExCup standings, while Walker is at No. 104. Both are fighting to secure their cards for next season, as only the top 100 players retain full PGA Tour status through the FedExCup Fall. Walker, who tied for sixth at THE PLAYERS Championship earlier this year, has since endured a difficult stretch, missing eight consecutive cuts.
Meanwhile, Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard, fresh off his Ryder Cup debut for Team Europe in New York, opened with a three-under 69 to sit tied for 35th. Ranked No. 87 in the FedExCup, Hojgaard will also be looking to consolidate his position inside the top 100. (Source: IANS)
