Just over eight months ago, Akshay Bhatia had the shock of his life. Specifically, on July 23. He had just won the Barracuda Championship and was like a child with new shoes, it was his first victory on the PGA Tour. He also thought that this triumph put him squarely in the Playoffs of the FedEX Cup and, incidentally, guaranteed him a place in the Masters of Augusta. The perfect combo.
Minutes after lifting the trophy, they corrected his mistake. Yes, it was an official victory, but being a minor tournament (fewer FedEx points and contemporary of the Open Championship) it was not valid for the Playoffs and much less for the Masters. There a wound was opened that could close that same week. At least, today he has taken a giant step.
The American golfer of Indian origin has put on a show on the first day of the Valero Texas Open and has positioned himself as a standout leader. It was one of those days when you can say that a golfer has played something else. Bhatia (-9) has done it. He has delivered an stratospheric card of 63 strokes on a course, the TPC of San Antonio, tremendously demanding. Not surprisingly, three under par is a top 10 position.
Bhatia has made nine birdies without bogey. This is the crux of the matter, which impresses, but the form is even more amazing. Of his nine birdies, seven have been with putts of less than two meters, while the other two were not exactly coast to coast either. One was four and a half meters and the other slightly less than five. Instead of irons, the 22-year-old player seemed to have a laser. In the purest style of Scottie Scheffler.
His exhibition has allowed him to sleep as leader with a three-stroke advantage over Justin Lower (-6) and Brendon Todd (-6) and five over Max Homa (-4), Denny McCarthy (-4) and Tyson Alexander (-4). A victory this Sunday would give Bhatia the direct ticket to play next week’s Masters of Augusta. Healing wounds…
Obviously, there are still many holes ahead to know if he will be able to settle this pending account. It won’t be easy. Beyond the golfers who follow him more closely, it should be noted that Rory McIlroy (-3) is fully involved in the battle with a good round of 69 strokes, with three birdies and no mistakes. He has been somewhat chaotic with the irons again, catching only eleven greens, but his short game, seven out of seven recoveries, has been insane.
🚨ALERTA SPIETH🚨 pic.twitter.com/PCeMSmtUXu
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Also under par are Collin Morikawa (-2), Ryan Fox (-2), Alexander Bjork (-2), Matt Fizpatrick (-1) and Tommy Fleetwood (-1). On the other hand, others like Hideki Matsuyama (+1) or Jordan Spieth (+1) have gotten into a tight spot to make the cut, even though the Texan made a hole in one in the final stretch of his round and went from +4 to +1 in a flash. The provisional cut has been set at par.
