Akshay Bhatia posted a career-best, eight-under round of 62 to earn a one-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood at the St. Jude Championship to open the FedExCup Playoffs.
Bhatia comes into the Playoffs ranked 45th, with only the top 50 advancing to the second of three tournaments before that is whittled down again to the top 30 at East Lake for a shot at the $10m bonus.
Defending champion and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler, playing for the first time since claiming his fourth major win – and second of the year – at The Open, is five off the lead after bogeyed the final hole for an opening 67.
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Scottie Scheffler shot a three-under final round to win his fourth major and his first Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
“Today was a good day. I did some solid stuff,” said Scheffler, who is assured of the No 1 seed for at least another week. “Felt like I was close to playing a really great round but ended up with a solid round. Overall, a decent start.”
Bhatia enjoyed a blazing finish to his record round, earning an eagle at the 16th before breaking clear of paying partner, England’s Harry Hall, with further birdies at 17 and 18.
“I felt pretty relaxed, and I’m just not trying to force anything,” Bhatia said afterwards. “It’s okay to get mad at golf shots but not at yourself.”
Justin Rose and Bud Cauley, like Hall, also posted 64s at TPC Southwind to sit two off the lead and one back from Fleetwood in second.
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Tommy Fleetwood is one shot off the lead after the opening round of the St. Jude Championship
The popular Englishman is practically assured of reaching the FedExCup finale, sitting at No 9 in the rankings currently, but is still searching for that elusive first PGA Tour title.
The 34-year-old hit 13 out of 14 fairways, and the one he missed led to a birdie anyway when he holed a bunker shot at the ninth.
“People talk about this golf course as a second-shot golf course, but it’s only a second-shot golf course if you’re in the fairway,” Fleetwood said. “I hit the ball so well off the tee that I was always giving myself an opportunity.”
Elsewhere, Rickie Fowler, who missed the post-season last year, came into the St. Jude Championship at No 64 in the rankings but his opening 66 projects him pushing inside the top 50.
Jordan Spieth, starting at No 48, had to rally on the back nine for a 69 that had him briefly outside of the top 50, before being back in it by the end of the day.
FedExCup winners: Every past champion
2024
Scottie Scheffler
2023
Viktor Hovland
2022
Rory McIlroy
2021
Patrick Cantlay
2020
Dustin Johnson
2019
Rory McIlroy
2018
Justin Rose
2017
Justin Thomas
2016
Rory McIlroy
2015
Jordan Spieth
2014
Billy Horschel
2013
Henrik Stenson
2012
Brandt Snedeker
2011
Bill Haas
2010
Jim Furyk
2009
Tiger Woods
2008
Vijay Singh
2007
Tiger Woods
The FedExCup is a season-long points competition where players earn points based on how they perform in PGA Tour events, with extra points on offer at the majors, The Players and the PGA Tour’s ‘Signature Events’.
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Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are both former winners of the FedExCup
The Playoffs were launched in 2007 and have received multiple tweaks to the qualification and format since, with this year’s edition having three tournaments that all offer limited field sizes.
Only the top 70 in the season-long standings qualify for the FedEx St. Jude Championship, held at TPC Southwind in Memphis from August 7-10, with the top 50 after that progressing to the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club in Maryland from August 14-17.
Both of those events offer 2000 FedExCup points to the winner – four times the amount awarded for a regular PGA Tour event, with both also not having a 36-hole cut.
The top 30 in the standings after those tournaments qualify for the Tour Championship, taking place from August 21-24 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, with all three events exclusively live on Sky Sports.
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