Akshay Bhatia fires day's best 63 to surge into top 20 at RBC Heritage

Akshay Bhatia fired a sensational 8-under 63, the lowest score of the day, to leap into a tie for 19th place at the RBC Heritage. His round featured 11 birdies, helping him recover from an opening 73. Matt Fitzpatrick, the defending champion, leads the tournament at 14-under after his own 63. Fellow golfer Sahith Theegala also sits in a tie for 19th after a solid second round.

Key Points: Akshay Bhatia's 63 vaults him into RBC Heritage contention

  • Akshay Bhatia shoots 8-under 63
  • Jumps 46 spots into T-19
  • Matt Fitzpatrick leads at 14-under
  • Sahith Theegala also in T-19
2 min read

Golf: Bhatia fires day's best round to surge into top 20 at RBC Heritage

Akshay Bhatia shoots 8-under 63, the day's best round, to jump into a tie for 19th at the RBC Heritage. See leaderboard updates.

"His ability to bounce back with consistent birdie-making proved decisive. - Report"

Hilton Head Island, April 18

Akshay Bhatia delivered a sensational performance in the second round of the RBC Heritage, carding an impressive 8-under 63 - the lowest score of the day - to vault into a tie for 19th place heading into the weekend.

The 24-year-old showed remarkable improvement after an opening-round 73, gaining 46 spots on the leaderboard. His two-day total now stands at 6-under par, putting him in strong contention as the tournament progresses.

Fellow golfer Sahith Theegala also climbed into T-19 after posting a solid 4-under 67 in the second round, adding to his first-round 69. Theegala's round featured a mix of brilliance and recovery, including two eagles, three birdies, and three bogeys, highlighting his aggressive yet resilient approach.

Meanwhile, Sudarshan Yellamaraju delivered a commendable 5-under 66 to move to T-46 at 2-under overall. His round included a strong finish with four consecutive birdies, underscoring his growing confidence on the course.

Bhatia's standout round included 11 birdies, though it was not without setbacks. He recorded one bogey and a double bogey, but his ability to bounce back with consistent birdie-making proved decisive. After a mixed front nine, he surged on the back nine with six birdies to seal the day's best score.

At the top of the leaderboard, Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2023 champion, was in front with a flawless 8-under 63, bringing his total to 14-under par. He holds a narrow one-shot lead over Viktor Hovland, who sits at 13-under after rounds of 64 and 65.

First-round leader Ludvig Åberg slipped to a tie for fourth after a 1-under 71, joining Patrick Cantlay and Sepp Straka. Harris English holds third place at 10-under.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler sits in T-14 at 7-under, while FedEx Cup leader Cameron Young is further down the standings at T-35.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Sarah B
Eleven birdies in one round is just insane golf. That's the kind of aggressive, fearless play we need to see more of. Bhatia has serious talent. Hope he can keep this momentum over the weekend.
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Vikram M
Great to see three Indian-origin golfers performing well. But a respectful criticism: the article focuses a lot on the scores, not the process. How did Bhatia mentally reset after the double bogey? That's the story for young golfers here who face similar pressure.
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Priya S
So proud! 🏌️‍♂️✨ It's not easy to compete at that level, away from home. Theegala's round with two eagles sounds thrilling. Hope they get good TV coverage in India for the weekend rounds.
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Rohit P
Four consecutive birdies to finish by Yellamaraju! That's how you close a round. All three are within striking distance. If one of them gets a hot putter on the weekend, who knows? Top 10 finish is possible. #GoIndia
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Michael C
Fitzpatrick is on fire too with another 63. The leaderboard is stacked. It will be a great test for Bhatia to play alongside these proven winners in the final groups. Experience gained here is invaluable.

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