Akshay Bhatia's Breathtaking Performance in Memphis
Akshay Bhatia pulled off the kind of round that turns heads and changes careers at TPC Southwind. The 22-year-old notched an electric 8-under 62 in the opening round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, setting the early standard at the PGA Tour’s first FedEx Cup Playoff event of 2025. Bhatia wasn’t just good—he was dialed in. Out of 14 fairways, he split 10 with crisp drives. When it came to approach play, he found 15 greens in regulation, a stat that left most of the field chasing his shadow.
Bhatia’s finish left everyone buzzing. He eagled the par-5 16th by crushing a perfect drive and drilling home a precise approach, then backed it up with birdies at 17 and 18. His three-hole closing stretch shot him one shot clear of England’s Tommy Fleetwood heading into round two. The key? Bhatia has learned to ignore the swirling talk about rankings and points. “I think too much about numbers,” he admitted after his round. These days, he focuses on keeping his mind still and blocking out distractions—a skill every young golfer tries to master, but few pull off as smoothly as he did on Thursday.
Rival Contenders and Playoff Stakes
Fleetwood kept things tight by carding a 63—just one off the pace and showing his own playoff intent. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler, defending FedEx Cup champion and always a man to watch, started with a 67. Scheffler looked as if he might cruise up the leaderboard, until a closing bogey set him back. Five shots off the lead isn’t out of reach, but it means Scheffler needs some memorable work over the weekend.
This championship isn’t just about daily glory. It’s the high-pressure start of the PGA Tour’s playoff chase. Only the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings after this week’s event get to play next week, and Bhatia, settled in at 45th, knows the heat is on. Still, he shrugged off that pressure: “I just want to play my best.” Mindset really can be as important as mechanics on days like this.
Paired with Harry Hall, who started the week ranked one spot ahead of him, Bhatia pulled away when it mattered. Hall blinked on the home stretch, while Bhatia’s confidence surged. His tee-to-green game was sharp, and his putts found their mark when it counted most.
The eyes of the golfing world are locked on Memphis as everyone waits to see how this shake-up continues. With play this hot already, there’s no predicting who’ll stand atop the leaderboard come Sunday—but for now, the spotlight is squarely on Akshay Bhatia.
