Bud cauley

FedEx Cup Playoffs: Akshay Bhatia was on fire at TPC Southwind, carding a career-best 8-under 62 to take the outright lead after the opening round of the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first leg of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs.

The 23-year-old Bhatia, already a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, delivered a stellar performance marked by seven birdies and an eagle against one bogey. He made the turn at 4-under, then picked up another birdie on the 11th before briefly slipping with a bogey at 12. But his finish was spectacular—an eagle on the par-5 16th followed by back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18.

“I just felt really in rhythm,” Bhatia said after the round. “The course sets up well for my game, and once I made that eagle, everything clicked. I wasn’t chasing anything — just sticking to my process and got into a great zone.”