Akshay Bhatia Opens Strong With 67 at BMW Championship
St. Louis — Indian-origin golfer Akshay Bhatia made a strong start at the BMW Championship, shooting a three-under 67 in the opening round at Bellerive Country Club to put himself firmly in contention at the second FedExCup Playoffs event.
Bhatia finished the day tied for 12th, three shots behind a five-way tie for the lead. With only 50 players in the field and the top 30 in the FedExCup standings advancing to the season-ending TOUR Championship, every position carries added importance this week.
His opening 67 left him ahead of fellow Indian-origin golfers Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala. Rai carded a two-under 68 and was tied for 21st, while Theegala opened with a one-over 71 and was tied for 37th.
Bhatia’s performance was particularly encouraging given the pressure surrounding the BMW Championship, where players are not only competing for the title but also trying to secure their place at East Lake.
At the top of the leaderboard, Rory McIlroy returned to form with a bogey-free six-under 64 to share the lead with Gary Woodland, Wyndham Clark, J.J. Spaun and Chris Gotterup.
McIlroy’s round represented a sharp turnaround after a difficult performance at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he failed to break par in any of his four rounds following a four-week break after The Open.
Woodland also produced one of the day’s standout performances. The 2019 U.S. Open champion, who underwent brain surgery, entered the week 31st in the FedExCup standings and needs to move into the top 30 to qualify for the TOUR Championship.
He highlighted his 64 by holing out from 99 yards for eagle on the 11th hole and later setting up a birdie with a 286-yard 2-iron into the par-five 17th.
Matt Fitzpatrick was one shot behind the leaders at five-under, while World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler struggled to a two-over 72 after dominating the FedExCup opener with an eight-shot victory.
For Bhatia, however, the opening round leaves him well positioned heading into the second round as he looks to climb the leaderboard and strengthen his chances of reaching the TOUR Championship. (Source: IANS)
