Akshay Bhatia makes steady start in Rocket Classic
Detroit, August 1
Akshay Bhatia making a start after taking a week off after the Open where he missed the cut, shot 2-under 68 for a modest start at the Rocket Classic. The left-handed Bhatia was lying T-48 and needed to stay steady to ensure passage into the weekend rounds.
Another Indian origin player, Sudarshan Yellamaraju (69) was T-72 amidst a bunch of low scores and he was around the cut line. Two other top Indian origin players, Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala are skipping the week.
Peter Malnati, who had a rough season and missed more cuts than he has made this season, got a big boost as he shot a career-best 9-under 61 to tie a tournament record in the first round of the Rocket Classic, giving him a two-shot lead.
Rickie Fowler and Ryan Gerard shot 63s, putting them two shots back and one stroke ahead of Patrick Cantlay and Patrick Fishburn.
Bhatia had three birdies against one sole bogey. Starting from the tenth, he picked gains on the 14th, first and the sixth and dropped a shot on 16th, which was his seventh hole.
Bhatia is currently 12th on the FedEx Cup rankings and has been in good form and won the Palmer Invitational, a Signature event earlier this season.
Michael Brennan surged up the leaderboard after starting 2 over through four holes with eight straight birdies -- one shy of the PGA TOUR record. He finished with a 65, putting him four strokes back with a pack of players that included Keegan Bradley.
Some of the top players in the field, though, did not get off to a good start. Cameron Young, the No. 3 player in the world, shot a 1-under 69 and U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark was 1 over.
The Rocket Classic and next week's Wyndham Championship are the last two tournaments left before the top 70 advances to the FedExCup Playoffs.
Detroit Golf Club underwent a USD 16 million renovation after last year's tournament, including converting a couple of par-5 holes into par 4s and adding a lot of bunkers, in an attempt to restore Donald Ross' vision for it more than a century ago while making it more challenging.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see Sudarshan Yellamaraju hanging around the cut line. These Indian-origin players are making waves globally. Bhatia's consistency this year is remarkable for someone so young. Hope both make the weekend cut! 🙏
Peter Malnati shooting 61 after such a rough season is exactly why golf is the greatest game. Anyone can turn it around on any given day. Bhatia needs to be careful though - that course renovation sounds brutal with all those new bunkers.
Honestly, I think Bhatia should have played last week too. Taking a week off after missing the cut at The Open might have disrupted his rhythm. But knowing his talent, he'll bounce back. The FedEx Cup race is going to be intense!
$16 million renovation at Detroit Golf Club sounds like money well spent if it honors Donald Ross' original vision. Love seeing courses restore classic designs. Malnati's 61 is a statement - career-best round at the perfect time.
It's refreshing to see so many Indian-origin golfers competing at the highest level. Bhatia's 12th in FedEx Cup standings shows he belongs among the elite. That 68 could have been better but staying patient is key. Come on Akshay! 🏌️♂️
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.