On August 8th, 2025, Akshay Bhatia fired a career-low 62 to take the first-round lead at the FedEx Cup Playoffs in Memphis, putting immense pressure on the players fighting to stay inside the top-50 bubble.
BHATIA'S BREAKTHROUGH
- Akshay Bhatia seized control of the first playoff event with a career-low, eight-under 62. He played his final three holes in a blistering four-under, including an eagle on 16, to grab the outright lead in Memphis.
- He credited a new mental approach: "It's OK to get mad at golf shots, but not at yourself, not self deprecate yourself, which I tend to do."
- His stellar play comes after struggling with equipment for months, having cracked his driver at the Masters earlier this year.
THE BUBBLE BATTLE
- The pressure is on for those fighting to make the top 50. Bud Cauley made the biggest move, jumping from 53rd into contention with a 64, while Rickie Fowler (66) also played his way inside the cutline.
- Jordan Spieth (69) is projected at exactly 50th, living up to his pre-tournament admission that he was "fully prepared to have some stress."
- On the flip side, Min Woo Lee, who started the week at 50th, plummeted down the leaderboard after a tough six-over 76.
TPC SOUTHWIND BITES BACK
- The renovated TPC Southwind proved to be a stern test, with firm new greens and "impossible" rough. Accuracy off the tee was paramount, with players noting they'd rather lay up than attack from the thick stuff.
- As Tommy Fleetwood, who shot 63, put it, the course is "only a second shot golf course if you're in the fairway."
- In a bizarre twist, Matti Schmid's eagle on the third hole was so perfect it damaged the cup, forcing the grounds crew to recut the hole location for the rest of the field.
Quick Hits
Tommy's hot finish • Scottie's $50 eBay divot tool • Justin Rose's "man flu" 64
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