Akshay Bhatia made par on the primary playoff gap to beat Patrick Rodgers and win the Barracuda Championship on Sunday in Truckee, Calif.
Bhatia, a 21-year-old enjoying on a particular momentary membership, is now totally exempt on the PGA Tour by 2025 because of his first profession victory within the tour’s alternate occasion reverse The Open Championship.
“I knew that if I received into place like this I might do it,” Bhatia mentioned on the Golf Channel broadcast. “I’ve carried out it at each stage. Man, I felt uncomfortable on the market. I made a very dangerous double (on No. 5). I hit some actually dangerous pictures, however then I kinda made some very nice (birdie) putts on 8 and 9 and began hitting some actually good pictures coming in.”
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The event at Tahoe Mountain Membership’s Outdated Greenwood course is the one PGA Tour occasion that makes use of the Modified Stableford scoring format. The best rating wins, with factors awarded for double eagles (eight), eagles (5) and birdies (two). Pars are price zero factors, whereas bogeys are minus-1 and double bogeys or worse are minus-3 factors.
Bhatia entered the day three factors off Rodgers’ lead however caught up with a plus-nine in his ultimate spherical to complete plus-40 in regulation. Bhatia — who had two bogeys and a double bogey amongst his first 5 holes — sank a birdie putt at his 72nd gap to hit plus-40 earlier than Rodgers completed his spherical.
Rodgers had a birdie putt at No. 18 to win outright, nevertheless it missed badly to the proper, and he completed his spherical plus-six.
Replaying the par-four 18th, Rodgers received an unfortunate break when his drive landed in a divot within the fairway. His second shot didn’t attain the inexperienced, and after getting on the floor in three, he missed an extended par putt.
That allowed Bhatia to two-putt for par to win a title that would change his younger profession.
“It’s a loopy feeling,” Bhatia mentioned. “I used to be telling my caddie that your mind and every thing, you’ll be able to really feel all this adrenaline, all this shakiness.”
Julien Guerrier of France (plus-20 Sunday) and Jens Dantorp of Sweden (plus-15) tied for third at plus-37. Ryan Gerard (plus-3) was fifth at plus-36.