Akshay Bhatia fired an eagle at the par-5 16th, seven birdies and one bogey for an 8-under 62, his career low 18-hole score, and leads the FedEx St. Jude Championship by one shot.
“I felt like I wasn’t in the rough too much. I hit it in a couple fairway bunkers, which is okay out here. It’s easier to control the golf ball,” said the American.
“I felt like I wasn’t putting great throughout the day, but then those last couple putts managed to drop. All in all, I felt like iron play was nice. I just need to kind of clean up a couple things, like a couple wedge shots, and get a little more comfortable with the putter, but all in all, I felt like I was driving it nice.
“I think it’s a ball striker’s golf course. I think statistically guys who have won here in the past, it’s about ball striking off the tee. I think that’s something that is suited to my game.
“I think, too, some of these holes suit my eye. There’s maybe one or two holes that don’t. But I feel like I can just kind of play my game and there’s not too many uncomfortable shots out there for me.”
Bhatia tied the lowest opening round score at TPC Southwind since the FedEx St. Jude Championship moved in 2022 (J.J. Spaun and Si Woo Kim in 2022).
In 21 starts this season, Bhatia has had three top-10 finishes (T9/Genesis Invitational, T3/Players Championship, 9th/Mexico Open at VidantaWorld).
Last season marked his first time qualifying for the FedExCup Playoffs, advancing to the 2024 Tour Championship where he finished 26th.
Seven-time DP World Tour winner Tommy Fleetwood made one bogey and opened with a 63, his lowest opening round on Tour, and lies in second place at 7-under. The Englishman qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs for the fourth consecutive year (seventh total).
England’s Harry Hall signed for a bogey-free 64 and a share of third place at 6-under alongside compatriot Justin Rose and American Bud Cauley.
Hall qualified for the playoffs for the first time in his third season on Tour.
11-time PGA Tour winner Justin Rose made one bogey and sits inside the top-10 after 18 holes for the sixth time this season and the second consecutive year at the FedEx St. Jude Championship (T5/finished T22). This season marks his 18th time qualifying for the playoffs in his 19th season on Tour.
Cauley made two bogeys in his first appearance in the FedExCup Playoffs since the 2019-20 season.
Making his first start since earning his 17th PGA Tour title at The Open Championship, World No. 1 and reigning FedExCup Champion Scottie Scheffler of the USA made one bogey at the 18th and lies in T12 at 3-under.
Japanese defending champion Hideki Matsuyama made two bogeys and opened with a 69 in his bid to become the first player to successfully defend at the FedEx St. Jude Championship since Ernie Els (1996-97).
FedExCup Playoffs
Following the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the top 50 players in the FedExCup standings will qualify for next week’s BMW Championship (the second of three events in the FedExCup Playoffs).
Related: LIV Golf Chicago 2025: Everything you need to know
| Pos. | Player | To Par | R1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Akshay Bhatia | -8 | 62 |
| 2 | Tommy Fleetwood | -7 | 63 |
| T3 | Harry Hall | -6 | 64 |
| T3 | Justin Rose | -6 | 64 |
| T3 | Bud Cauley | -6 | 64 |
| 6 | Si Woo Kim | -5 | 65 |
| T7 | Maverick McNealy | -4 | 66 |
| T7 | Ben Griffin | -4 | 66 |
| T7 | Russell Henley | -4 | 66 |
| T7 | Rickie Fowler | -4 | 66 |
| T7 | Collin Morikawa | -4 | 66 |
| T12 | Wyndham Clark | -3 | 67 |
| T12 | Matt Fitzpatrick | -3 | 67 |
| T12 | Thomas Detry | -3 | 67 |
| T12 | Brian Harman | -3 | 67 |
| T12 | Nick Taylor | -3 | 67 |
| T12 | Ludvig Åberg | -3 | 67 |
| T12 | Robert MacIntyre | -3 | 67 |
| T12 | Scottie Scheffler | -3 | 67 |
| T20 | Justin Thomas | -2 | 68 |
| T20 | Xander Schauffele | -2 | 68 |
| T20 | Daniel Berger | -2 | 68 |
| T20 | Andrew Novak | -2 | 68 |
| T20 | J.J. Spaun | -2 | 68 |
| T20 | Sepp Straka | -2 | 68 |
| T20 | Chris Kirk | -2 | 68 |
| T27 | Jordan Spieth | -1 | 69 |
| T27 | Taylor Pendrith | -1 | 69 |
| T27 | Brian Campbell | -1 | 69 |
| T27 | Jacob Bridgeman | -1 | 69 |
| T27 | Hideki Matsuyama | -1 | 69 |
| T27 | Cameron Young | -1 | 69 |
| T27 | Cam Davis | -1 | 69 |
| T27 | Jhonattan Vegas | -1 | 69 |
| T27 | Joe Highsmith | -1 | 69 |
| T27 | Kurt Kitayama | -1 | 69 |
| T27 | Tony Finau | -1 | 69 |
| T27 | Emiliano Grillo | -1 | 69 |
| T39 | J.T. Poston | Par | 70 |
| T39 | Denny McCarthy | Par | 70 |
| T39 | Sam Burns | Par | 70 |
| T39 | Harris English | Par | 70 |
| T39 | Max Greyserman | Par | 70 |
| T39 | Aaron Rai | Par | 70 |
| T39 | Ryan Gerard | Par | 70 |
| T39 | Lucas Glover | Par | 70 |
| T39 | Patrick Cantlay | Par | 70 |
| T48 | Matti Schmid | +1 | 71 |
| T48 | Sam Stevens | +1 | 71 |
| T48 | Sungjae Im | +1 | 71 |
| T48 | Patrick Rodgers | +1 | 71 |
| T48 | Aldrich Potgieter | +1 | 71 |
| T48 | Jason Day | +1 | 71 |
| T48 | Corey Conners | +1 | 71 |
| T48 | Mackenzie Hughes | +1 | 71 |
| T48 | Kevin Yu | +1 | 71 |
| T57 | Ryan Fox | +2 | 72 |
| T57 | Keegan Bradley | +2 | 72 |
| T57 | Nico Echavarria | +2 | 72 |
| T57 | Davis Riley | +2 | 72 |
| T57 | Jake Knapp | +2 | 72 |
| T57 | Michael Kim | +2 | 72 |
| T57 | Chris Gotterup | +2 | 72 |
| T57 | Stephan Jaeger | +2 | 72 |
| T65 | Tom Hoge | +3 | 73 |
| T65 | Shane Lowry | +3 | 73 |
| T67 | Erik van Rooyen | +4 | 74 |
| T67 | Viktor Hovland | +4 | 74 |
| 69 | Min Woo Lee | +6 | 76 |
