Tag: Akshay Bhatia

A first-time PGA Tour winner likely at 2023 Barracuda Championship

Sunday is bound to be life changing for one PGA Tour player.

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Sunday is bound to be life changing for one PGA Tour player.

None of the top four players on the leaderboard at the 2023 Barracuda Championship at Tahoe Mountain Club in Truckee, California, have won on Tour before. Two of them, Ryan Gerard and Akshay Bhatia, weren’t even PGA Tour members when the season began.

After Sunday’s final round, it’s likely someone hoists a trophy for the first time.

Patrick Rodgers birdied the 18th hole and earned two points in the Modified Stableford format to take a one-point lead over Gerard going into the final round. Rodgers tallied eight points in the third round and sits at 34 for the tournament. Gerard, who led after the 36 holes, struggled to garner any momentum on moving day, earning only three points and has 33 points.

“I was really super proud of the way that I was resilient and turned the round around and knew there was still a lot of points to be had,” Rodgers said. “The eagle on 12 was huge, and birdieing two of the last three was great to be in a good position going into tomorrow.”

Bhatia made a major move up the leaderboard, sitting in solo third with 31 points, courtesy of his 17-point outing. He shot 8-under 63 with six birdies and an eagle.

“I know I’m close to winning,” Bhatia said. “It’s a good feeling. Obviously finishing top 10 and gaining points and everything is important out here. But it’s just amazing the perspective you have when you just kind of wish you did certain things a little different, and I would have been pretty close to hosting that trophy last week.”

Beau Hossler, who is also searching for his first Tour victory, is in solo fourth with 30 points. Joel Dahmen is in fifth with 29.

The opposite-field event gives plenty of opportunities for someone to have a career-changing victory. The leaderboard is set up for exactly that come Sunday.

“I feel like any time that you’re in contention coming down the last round, last however many holes, you’ve got to play well to get into that situation,” Gerard said. “So just going to take that in stride and really just trust that we’re going to have some good stuff happen tomorrow and just really do my best and everything else is just an added bonus. So we’re excited to just go out there and see what happens.”

Winning is hard: These 14 pros nearly picked up their first PGA Tour win this season

“Second place is just the first-place loser. There is no room for second place.”

With the calendar flipping to June, the PGA Tour counts eight first-time winners this season, including the duo of Davis Riley and Nick Hardy, who teamed up for their first wins at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

It was almost nine on Sunday as Denny McCarthy had a putt to win the Memorial only to be denied his maiden victory by Viktor Hovland.

McCarthy isn’t alone. So far this season, 14 different players have finished runner-up or tied for second 15 times while bidding for their first Tour title. If the Netflix documentary “Full Swing” taught us anything it is that winning is hard. (Don’t drink every time a player says just that or you may not make it through a single episode.)

“The only one who will remember you if you come in second place is your wife and your dog,” World Golf Hall of Famer Gary Player once said, “and that is only if you have a good wife and a good dog.”

NASCAR’s Dale Earnhardt didn’t mince words either, saying, “Second place is just the first-place loser. There is no room for second place.”

Nevertheless, let’s take a closer look at this year’s runner-ups, who were so close to tasting victory and climbing another rung on the professional golf ladder with their first Tour wins.

2023 Mexico Open: Jon Rahm’s scorching 61, Tony Finau eyeing sixth win and more from Saturday’s third round

Rahm signed for a third-round bogey-free 10-under 61 — a tournament record — and is now just two strokes behind Big Tone.

This week’s field was anything but loaded. Jon Rahm and Tony Finau were the lone household names who made the trip south of the border. And after 54 holes those two players have found themselves at the top of the leaderboard. It appears we’re in for a clash of the Titans at the 2023 Mexico Open at Vidanta.

The Spaniard trailed Finau by six shots entering Saturday but he caught fire at Vidanta Vallarta. Rahm signed for a third-round bogey-free 10-under 61 — a tournament record — and is now just two strokes behind Big Tone.

Finau, who opened with rounds of 65-64, began his day with a birdie at the first. His opening nine wasn’t too exciting after that, although he did add another birdie at the seventh.

After a few pars to start his second half, Finau strung together three straight birdies on Nos. 12-14 then added another on the 16th. He gave one away at the par-3 17th after failing to convert a six-foot par putt, however, he got it right back with a birdie at the last.

Finau (19 under) signed for a third-round 6-under 65 and will tee off Sunday afternoon with a two-stroke lead over Rahm and Akshay Bhatia.

If you missed any of the action on Saturday, no worries, we have you covered. Get caught up on the third round of the 2023 Mexico Open below.

Mexico Open: Sunday tee times | Photos

Here are 5 bets to consider for the 2023 Mexico Open, including a Jon Rahm/Gary Woodland top-10 parlay

Which pick are you rolling with in Mexico?

The PGA Tour is south of the border this week for the Mexico Open at Vidanta in Vallarta.

Defending champion and world No. 1 Jon Rahm tied for 15th in his last start at the RBC Heritage a week after slipping on the green jacket in Augusta, Georgia.

Rahm won this event by a single shot last season over Tony Finau and Kurt Kitayama.

As for the rest of the field, it’s one of the weakest we’ve seen in a bit. Three of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking are set to tee off Thursday.

Here are five bets you need to consider for the 2023 Mexico Open.

More Mexico Open betting: Expert picks, odds

2023 Valero Texas Open odds, course history and picks to win: Can Rickie Fowler earn a spot in the Masters?

Fowler finished inside the top 20 at the Valero in ’19 and ’21.

One last stop before the year’s first major: the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio in Texas.

Many of the world’s best players are taking the week off in preparation for the Masters, however, there’s one superstar in the Lone Star State looking to earn his invitation to Augusta.

Rickie Fowler.

The 34-year-old’s game has come alive in 2023, grabbing three top-20 finishes in his last four stroke-play events. Last week at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, Fowler needed an appearance in the quarterfinals to earn a spot in the Masters. He failed to advance from pool play.

Due to the March 27th Official World Golf Ranking point cutoff, Fowler needs a win at TPC San Antonio to qualify for next week’s field.

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Golf course

TPC San Antonio | Par 72 | 7,438 yards

General view of the 18th hole as Gary Woodland finishes his round during the fourth round of the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio on April 03, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Course history

Betting preview

Nico Echavarria wins maiden PGA Tour title at 2023 Puerto Rico Open, earns spot in Players Championship

Echavarria is the 10th player to make the Puerto Rico Open his first career PGA Tour title.

Nico Echavarria is a winner on the PGA Tour.

Riding a final-round 68 at Grand Reserve Golf Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Echavarria finished at 21 under and outlasted Akshay Bhatia by two shots in the 2023 Puerto Rico Open, the first opposite-field event on the PGA Tour’s 2023 calendar.

Echavarria scored in the 60s (67-67-65-68) all four rounds. He had 22 birdies, two eagles and six bogeys over the 72 holes.

A rookie on the PGA Tour, Echavarria said he found something in his swing on the range on Friday and it clearly carried over to the weekend, as he becomes the 10th player to make the Puerto Rico Open his first career PGA Tour title.

“With the way I was playing the last couple weeks, at Honda, that course is really hard but I missed the cut by 8 or 9. At Pebble I missed it by a lot,” he said. “You just don’t think it’s going to get better until things like this week clicks and finding something on the range on Friday just changes your week. … if I wouldn’t have had that practice session on Friday afternoon very late and found what I found, I don’t think I would be here because it cleared my mind up. I was thinking too many things. I was on a bad spot mentally before coming to this week.”

Bhatia, meanwhile, started the day in fifth and ended up in solo second. It’s his best finish on Tour; he had a tie for ninth at the 2020 Safeway Open. He also has two top-10s in four starts on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023.

Bhatia had eight birdies in his final round, including four straight on Nos. 15, 16, 17 and 18 to close his week. He came up short but was energized and emotional after his performance this week.

“I’m legally able to drink now, so maybe I’ll have a drink with my parents,” Bhatia said. “I’m excited to see my dogs, I haven’t seen them in two weeks. Yeah, I don’t know. It’s going to be a lot of emotion. I know my dad’s going to really cry, which I’ve only seen him do one time.”

For winning the Puerto Rico Open, Echavarria earned 300 FedEx Cup points and $684,000. He joins Kurt Kitayama, who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday, as first time Tour winners. He also earned a spot in the Players Championship, which starts Thursday at TPC Sawgrass.

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“It’s going to be incredible to be at home because I live in Jacksonville,” he said. “Especially after a win, it’s going to be special. Probably going to keep playing and feeling what I’m feeling right now with my game, same thoughts, because this game changes quick and you’ve got to be consistent with what you’re trying to do.”

Nate Lashley and Carson Young tied for third at 16 under, five shots back. Michael Kim was solo fifth at 15 under.

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Watch: This pro golfer took his shirt off not once, but twice at 2023 Honda Classic

Good thing his girlfriend brought him a change of clothes.

Taking your shirt off during a PGA Tour tournament isn’t something you see every day. Unless you’re following Joel Dahmen and Harry Higgs at the WM Phoenix Open, most golfers keep their tops on when competing.

However, during the third round of the 2023 Honda Classic at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Akshay Bhatia stripped down not once, but twice.

Fans become accustomed to pros taking off their shoes and socks when stepping down into the wet marshes surrounding many golf courses. However, Bhatia went a step further, taking his shirt off on two different occasions during the third round.

The first time he did it came on the sixth hole, which resulted in Bhatia making a par. His second shot came from the water, and he was able to get up and down from the fairway for par. His girlfriend even brought him a change of clothes after taking off his hat, shirt and shoes.

“I didn’t know what I was getting myself into,” said Presleigh Schultz, Bhatia’s girlfriend, who demonstrated Saturday just how good a girlfriend she is.

“Luckily we’re staying right here on property. I was on 6 green, which is almost the farthest point from the hotel,” she said. “So I’m swerving through the crowd, trying to get to the hotel room, got a pair of pants, a rules official gave me a ride back and I got them to him by 8 green. I think he changed in a Porta-Potty.

“Then unfortunately it happened again on 15 and I didn’t have an extra pair.”

The second time came on the par-3 15th when his tee shot went long. This time, it didn’t go as well, having to hit two shots from the mud, and he ended up making double bogey.

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Akshay Bhatia tied for lead after two days at Korn Ferry Tour’s Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay

Akshay Bhatia won for the first time on the Korn Ferry Tour this time last year.

Akshay Bhatia won for the first time on the Korn Ferry Tour this time last year. Nearing the halfway mark of the 2023 Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay, he’s closing in on win No. 2.

Bhatia was 19 and making his first KFT start one year ago when he won. Here in 2023, he opened with a 67 Sunday – the KFT season opening tournament is a Sunday-through-Wednesday affair – and posted a 69 on Monday. He had four bogeys (and two birdies) on the front but closed with four birdies over his last eight holes, including Nos. 15, 16 and 17. Monday’s 67 came despite a double bogey. He is at 8 under. Play Monday was suspended due to darkness with 14 golfers still on the course.

Shad Tuten is also at 8 under after rounds of 69-67. Three golfers – Daniel Miernicki, Chandler Phillips and Cody Blick – are a shot back tied for third, although Blick is only through 15 holes.

Other notables in the field include Chase Seiffert (T-10), Grayson Murray (T-13), Camilo Villegas (T-48) and Willie Mack III (T-93).

First-round leader Jeremy Paul followed up his 65 with a 79 in the second round.

The purse this week is $1 million, with $152,272 going to the winner.

 

19-year-old Akshay Bhatia silences the critics, wins on Korn Ferry Tour in first start as a member

Akshay Bhatia is in position to earn a PGA Tour card sooner rather than later after his win on the Korn Ferry Tour.

“Just because it hasn’t been done, doesn’t make it impossible.”

That’s right, Akshay Bhatia, and now you’re a Korn Ferry Tour winner at 19.

Bhatia turned pro when he was 17 and received backlash for the decision. Now, just two years later he’s in position to earn a PGA Tour card sooner rather than later. And for the cherry on top, this was the young man’s first appearance on the Korn Ferry Tour as a full member.

The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay served as the Tour’s season-opener this week. Entering the final round, Bhatia found himself three back of the lead needing a low number on Wednesday to have a chance.

He did just that.

His final day 7-under 65 was his best round of the week by three shots (Saturday, 68). The exclamation point? This dart at the last.

The closing birdie was just one of Bhatia’s seven on the day, a perfect ending to a bogey-free effort.

And if you needed another reminder of how weird this game is, his caddie for the week doesn’t know golf. At all.

Bhatia has worked with George Gankas, coach to Matthew Wolff, Sung Kang, among others, for a few years and Bhatia has him (and a lot of hard work) to thank for being in this position.

Another man in his corner is Phil Mickelson, who this time last year played with Bhatia in a practice round before the American Express.

“For me, to play with young kids like Akshay, who are so talented, it actually motivates me and it makes me feel and remember what it felt like to play golf as a kid, when I was a kid, and the love and passion that I have for it because as he starts out on his career, you can see and sense his excitement for the game, his drive, his motivation, his work ethic, and that is infectious,” Mickelson said. “I enjoy being around, and always have enjoyed being around good talented young players like this, and I’m happy to answer any questions that they may have, but I also feed off of their energy, work ethic, and drive.”

The youngster made nine starts on the PGA Tour last season highlighted by a T-9 performance at the Safeway Open.

Bhatia, with this win, quickly silenced the doubters who believed he made a mistake turning pro too early. The kid is a stud.

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AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Patrick Cantlay ties course record, takes lead with 10-under 62

Patrick Cantlay, who shot 61 in his last tournament round, picked up where he left off by tying the Pebble Beach course record of 62.

Whether in the middle of a desert or hard by the sea, Patrick Cantlay can seemingly do no wrong.

Cantlay, who shattered the course record at PGA West’s TPC Stadium Course with an 11-under 61 in the final round of the American Express in his previous start, picked up right where he left off and birdied seven of the first eight holes at Pebble Beach Golf Links. He wasn’t done either. He tacked on a birdie at 11 to go with a pair of birdies at the finishing holes to tie the course record of 10-under 62.

“I feel like I’m in a groove right now,” said Cantlay, who called it a continuation of his 65-61 weekend at the American Express. “My swing feels really good right now. The ball’s starting on the line that I’m seeing, and then my distance control has been really good, which is key out here. I try to leave myself below the hole a lot and I was able to do that.”

Cantlay took advantage of receptive greens and a wind-free day to blitz a defenseless Pebble Beach and build a two-stroke lead over 19-year-old Akshay Bhatia and Henrik Norlander, who both played Pebble too, after the opening round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Rookie Will Gordon returned the low score at Spyglass Hill, the tournament’s sister course, with a bogey-free 6-under 66.

Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Leaderboard | Photos | Tee times, TV info

Cantlay possesses one of the most complete games on the PGA Tour and he had all cylinders firing on Thursday. Accuracy off the tee set him up for short irons and his putter was deadly on the greens.

“Hit a lot of good shots just right out of the gate and made everything,” Cantlay said. “The first hole I just had a wedge in. The second hole I got up-and-down from just off the green (for birdie at the par 5). And for the most part, it’s wedges all the way until you get to the 8th hole. So, you do want to take advantage and today I did.”

Cantlay credited his hot putter for taking care of the rest.

“The difference the last three rounds I played on Tour is just making putts,” he said. “I think I 1-putted every green on the front nine. So, when you only have nine putts on nine holes it’s no surprise you played really well. Some of that is set up by ball striking. I had a lot of really good looks. And every time you play Pebble Beach you kind of want to get off to a hot start on those first seven holes and today I had a great start.”

Another player who didn’t skip a beat after his best performance in nearly a year last week in Phoenix was Jordan Spieth, who posted 7-under 65 at Pebble Beach. Spieth even delivered a highlight-reel moment, holing out for eagle from 113 yards at No. 10.

“I needed to cover 107 on the false front and it hit. I fixed the pitch mark maybe two short of the hole and I think it bounced past it and then spun back,” Spieth said. “Once I saw where it landed I knew it would be close. It was a bonus for it to obviously go in. I saw it drop and then there was three people on the balcony of the house in the distance and a couple people near the green, volunteers where his hands went up. But it’s still weird having a moment like that where you’re used to kind of a loud roar and it’s just so kind of calm and quiet.”

Bhatia, the teenager who hails from North Carolina and is playing this week on a sponsor’s exemption, became the fourth player in the last 25 years to hit all 18 greens in regulation at Pebble Beach, and the first to do so since Ryan Palmer in 2008, en route to shooting a bogey-free 8-under par 64.

“The views actually really help me,” Bhatia said. “Because I can look out at the ocean and my mind goes blank. It’s just beautiful.”

But as Cantlay and other regulars at Pebble can attest, the famed layout can be both a beauty and a beast. The weather forecast is expected to turn nasty the remainder of the tournament, making scoring conditions less favorable.

“I think we got Pebble in pretty much ideal conditions and I don’t think it’s going to be like that the rest of the week,” Cantlay said. “This place can be a bear when the wind’s blowing, especially when you get out to that point on 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. So I’m sure the conditions will be a lot tougher this weekend, but I welcome the challenge and it will be fun.”

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