Askhay Bhatia (-20) has won the Valero Texas Open, as was predictable, if we consider the significant lead he had going into the final round and how well he had played all week…
However, his first major victory on the PGA Tour (he had won the Barracuda Championship last year, a lower-profile tournament) will forever be remembered as one of the greatest madnesses that golf has ever provided. Let’s see:
– Bhatia started with a four-stroke lead and began the round with three birdies in the first four holes, moving six strokes ahead of his immediate pursuer, Denny McCarthy…
– The Californian of Indian descent had full control of the situation when he stood on the tee of hole 10 with that same six-stroke lead, but on that hole he signed a bogey and McCarthy made the birdie… There was a tournament.
– Nothing, nothing, false alarm. Immediately afterwards, Bhatia made a birdie on the 11th and McCarthy still had to struggle to save par by sinking a putt of a metre and a half. In such a situation, very comfortable again for the leader, it was impossible to suspect what was going to happen from that moment on…
– And what happened is that McCarthy was not going to stop making birdies. Up to seven in a row to be more precise. In all ways and manners, starting with a specialty of the house, a pure ten-metre putt on hole 12 that took the ball inside. And then hitting a great shot on the 13th, a monstrous par 3 of over 200 metres, to leave himself almost given the birdie. And immediately afterwards, sinking a little approach on the 14th from outside; and a few minutes later, on the 15th, sinking a putt of more than twelve metres…
So, up to seven consecutive birdies on holes 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 (it is worth writing it down to finish believing it) to sign a card of 63 strokes on the Oaks course of the TPC San Antonio and force a playoff that simply did not exist.
– And, what things, Bhatia still had to sink a birdie putt of just over three metres on hole 72 to go out to play it… He had signed a 67 starting with a four-stroke lead at the start of the day and it had barely been enough for him to earn the right to play a playoff. On a course, by the way, and playing conditions that had barely allowed a certain Rory McIlroy (-11) to reach third position with a double-digit record below par, nine strokes (nine!) from the two co-leaders.
– And still more crazy, absurd things had to happen…
– For example, that Bhatia hurt his shoulder precisely when he was celebrating the birdie on hole 72. So much so, that he required the service of a physio who was going to attend him during the dispute of the first and only playoff hole…
– That’s right. Because there was only one playoff hole. McCarthy, who had just displayed an absolutely fabulous golf exhibition, hit a very heavy third shot on the par 5 of the 18th of the Texas course and went into the water… He was not going to be able to get out of that quagmire. Anyone would have thought that at that point, seeing what had been seen, Denny, being ninety metres from the flag, could have hit with his eyes closed and still would have procured a great birdie option. But the day was not for certainties of any kind.
– Bhatia has graduated. We can now include him without any hesitation in the circle of great players. It is very likely that he will never live a stress situation even half similar, so the value of his triumph is double. As for McCarthy… As absurd as this tournament ending is to certify that this player, who is much more than just a great putter, does not yet have a victory on the PGA Tour. It will be that this circuit is truly great. It will undoubtedly be that his great moment is yet to come.
