Akshay Bhatia Qualifies for Tour Championship; Rai, Theegala Miss Out
St. Louis — Akshay Bhatia secured his place in the season-ending Tour Championship with a strong finish at the 2026 BMW Championship, while fellow Indian-origin golfers Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala fell short of qualifying.
Bhatia closed with a two-under 68 to finish tied for 12th, producing an eagle-birdie finish that ensured he remained 15th in the FedEx Cup standings. The Tour Championship features the top 30 players in the season-long rankings.
The Indian-origin golfer carded three birdies and an eagle against three bogeys in the final round, saving his best for the closing holes.
Bhatia entered the BMW Championship ranked 15th in the FedEx Cup and comfortably retained his place inside the top 30, becoming the only one of the three Indian-origin players in the field to advance to the season finale.
Aaron Rai also shot a two-under 68 in the final round, making four birdies and two bogeys to finish tied for 16th. However, he slipped two places to 39th in the FedEx Cup standings and missed qualification for the Tour Championship.
Sahith Theegala ended with a one-under 69 and finished tied for 41st. He dropped to 48th in the standings and was also eliminated from the season finale.
At the top of the leaderboard, Wyndham Clark completed a wire-to-wire victory at 17-under, winning the BMW Championship by three shots. It was his sixth PGA Tour title and third victory of the 2026 season.
Patrick Cantlay finished second, while Rory McIlroy placed third. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler tied for 12th alongside Bhatia and will enter the Tour Championship as the No. 1 seed.
Bhatia will now be the lone Indian-origin golfer competing in the Tour Championship as the PGA Tour season reaches its finale. (Source: IANS)
