‘Dream come true’: Bhatia wins 1st PGA Tour title

TRUCKEE, Calif. — Akshay Bhatia birdied the closing gap in regulation, then capitalized in sudden dying when Patrick Rodgers discovered a divot within the fairway to win his first PGA Tour title on the Barracuda Championship on Sunday.

The 21-year-old Bhatia, who turned professional at 17, earned full standing on tour and a spot within the FedEx Cup playoffs. He had been enjoying beneath particular momentary membership since his runner-up end on the Puerto Rico Open in March.

“It is clearly been a very robust street. I’ve had a number of up, a number of down. A variety of good, a number of dangerous,” Bhatia stated. “However I knew I used to be going to get right here. It was simply matter of time. For it to occur this 12 months with particular momentary membership and now to get to play all these occasions and to get it accomplished at this time was, I can not even describe it.”

Bhatia transformed a birdie from about 15 ft on the par-4 18th gap at Tahoe Mountain Membership to complete with 40 factors beneath the modified Stableford scoring system that awards 5 factors for eagle and two for birdie whereas deducting a degree for bogey and three for double bogey. The slender left-hander had 9 factors on Sunday.

That was adequate to match Rodgers, who missed a birdie try from roughly the identical distance on the 18th and scored six factors within the last spherical.

Within the playoff, Rodgers’ tee shot on the 18th settled in a divot and he chunked his strategy. His pitch was effectively brief and he two-putted for bogey. Bhatia left his birdie putt simply brief and tapped in for the victory.

“I knew that if I received right into a place like this, I might do it. I’ve accomplished it at each stage. Man, that felt uncomfortable on the market,” Bhatia stated. “That putt on 18 in regulation was simply, man, it is a loopy feeling. I as telling my caddie, like, your mind and every thing, you may really feel all this adrenaline, all this shakiness. It is fairly loopy.”

Rodgers stays winless in 246 PGA Tour begins. The 31-year-old former Stanford star did not convert a 54-hole lead for the fifth time.

The event was co-sanctioned by the European tour, and two gamers from that circuit tied for third. Julian Warrior scored 20 factors on Sunday to complete with 37 alongside Jens Dantorpwho had 15 factors within the last spherical.

Ryan Gerardadditionally a particular momentary member, was fifth with 36 factors. He totaled simply six factors over the ultimate two rounds.

Bhatia largely struggled his first three years after bypassing school to show professional. He gained within the Bahamas on the Korn Ferry Tour at the start of 2022 however nonetheless fell in need of incomes a PGA Tour card.

Now he is eligible for a number of the richest occasions in golf, together with the PGA Championship.

“I am within the playoffs now, which was an enormous aim for me,” he stated. “I imply, I am simply excited. I like enjoying golf, I like enjoying on the PGA Tour and it is only a dream come true to have it.”