Akshay Bhatia posted a career-best, eight-under spherical of 62 to earn a one-shot lead over Tommy Flettwood on the St. Jude Championship to open the FedEx Playoffs.
Bhatia comes into the playoffs ranked forty fifth, with solely the highest 50 advancing to the second of three tournaments earlier than that’s whittled down once more to the highest 30 at East Lake for a shot on the $10m bonus.
Defending champion and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler, taking part in for the primary time since claiming his fourth main win – and second of the yr – at The Open, is 5 off the lead after bogeyed the ultimate gap for a gap 67.
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Scottie Scheffler shot a three-under closing spherical to win his fourth main and his first Claret Jug at Royal Portrush.
“At present was an excellent day. I did some strong stuff,” mentioned Scheffler, who’s assured of the No 1 seed for no less than one other week. “Felt like I used to be near taking part in a very nice spherical however ended up with a strong spherical. Total, a good begin.”
Bhatia loved a blazing end to his document spherical, incomes an eagle on the sixteenth earlier than breaking away from paying accomplice, England’s Harry Corridor, with additional birdies at 17 and 18.
“I felt fairly relaxed, and I am simply not making an attempt to pressure something,” Bhatia mentioned afterwards. “It is okay to get mad at golf photographs however not at your self.”
Justin Rose and Bud Cauley, like Corridor, additionally posted 64s at TPC Southwind to take a seat two off the lead and one again from Fleetwood in second.
Picture:
Tommy Fleetwood is one shot off the lead after the opening spherical of the St. Jude Championship
The favored Englishamn is virtually assured of reaching the FedEx Cup finale, sitting at No 9 within the rankings presently, however continues to be seaching for that elusive first PGA Tour title.
The 34-year-old hit 13 out of 14 fairways, and the one he missed led to a birdie anyway when he holed a bunker shot on the ninth.
“Folks discuss this golf course as a second-shot golf course, but it surely’s solely a second-shot golf course for those who’re within the fairway,” Fleetwood mentioned. “I hit the ball so effectively off the tee that I used to be at all times giving myself a possibility.”
Elsewhere, Rickie Fowler, who missed the post-season final yr, got here into the St. Jude Championship at No 64 within the rankings however his opening 66 initiatives him pushing inside the highest 50.
Jordan Spieth, beginning at No 48, needed to rally on the again 9 for a 69 that had him briefly outdoors of the highest 50, earlier than being again in it by the tip of the day.
FedExCup winners: Each previous champion
2024
Scottie Scheffler
2023
Viktor Hovland
2022
Rory McIlroy
2021
Patrick Cantlay
2020
Dustin Johnson
2019
Rory McIlroy
2018
Justin Rose
2017
Justin Thomas
2016
Rory McIlroy
2015
Jordan Spieth
2014
Billy Horschel
2013
Henrik Stenson
2012
Brandt Snedeker
2011
Invoice Haas
2010
Jim Furyk
2009
Tiger Woods
2008
Vijay Singh
2007
Tiger Woods
The FedExCup is a season-long factors competitors the place gamers earn factors primarily based on how they carry out in PGA Tour occasions, with further factors on provide on the majors, The Gamers and the PGA Tour’s ‘Signature Occasions’.
Picture:
Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are each former winners of the FedExCup
The playoffs had been launched in 2007 and have obtained a number of tweaks to the qualification and format since, with this yr’s version having three tournaments that each one provide restricted discipline sizes.
Solely the highest 70 within the season-long standings qualify for the FedEx St Jude Championship, held at TPC Southwind in Memphis from August 7-10, with the highest 50 after that progressing to the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Membership in Maryland from August 14-17.
Each of these occasions provide 2000 FedExCup factors to the winner – 4 instances the quantity awarded for an everyday PGA Tour occasion, with each additionally not having a 36-hole minimize.
The highest 30 within the standings after these tournaments qualify for the Tour Championship, happening from August 21-24 at East Lake Golf Membership in Atlanta, with all three occasions solely reside on Sky Sports activities.
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