Bhatia hangs on for sixth, moves into Top-30 at FedEx Cup

Memphis (Tenneessee, USA), Aug 11 (PTI) Akshay Bhatia hung in for a tied-sixth place with a modest 1-under 69 in the final round as Justin Rose rallied over the last five holes to win the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

Bhatia rode the week on his first round 8-under 62 and followed up with 69-70-69 to total 10-under and finish six shots behind Rose (67) and JJ Spaun (65) who tied at the top and then went into a play-off which was won by Rose.

Bhatia moved up 16 places from his 45th at the start of the week and it was the biggest upward move other than Rose, whose win moved him 21 places from 25th to fourth.

Bhatia began in style with birdies on the second and the third and then managed only one more on the ninth. He also dropped shots on the seventh and the 17th.

But the sixth place finish by Bhatia confirmed him for the second of the three play-offs. By being in top-50 he is also assured of starts at all USD 20 million Signature events in 2026.

He now needs to stay on in Top-30 to play the Tour Championship for the second straight year.

Aaron Rai, the Indo-British player, who was also in the Play-offs shot 67 and finished tied 22nd, but it did not move him from 55th to inside 50th. He was stranded 53rd and it ended his season.

Rose closed with a 3-under 67 for his 24th victory worldwide and 12th PGA TOUR victory that puts him back into the top 10 in the world at age 45 and secures his spot in another Ryder Cup.

Rose played in the final group with Fleetwood and was three shots behind when he hit 6-iron to just inside 15 feet for birdie at the par-3 14th. He followed with two more short birdies, and drained a 15-footer on the 17th for his fourth in a row.

Rose would have won in regulation but he narrowly missed a 13-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole at TPC Southwind. Rose wound up making six birdies over the last eight holes that he played, the last one a 10-foot putt on the 18th on the third playoff hole.

Spaun made a 20-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to pull into a share of the lead and closed with a 65. He also made a 30-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole.

Lost in this fight was Tommy Fleetwood, who once again came close but missed out. He seemed the likely winner with his 35-foot birdie on the 12th, which was the first of three birdies in a four-hole stretch that gave him a two-shot lead with three to play.

Then he scrambled for par on the par-5 16th and on the 17th he hit a poor shot and a worse par attempt from seven feet for bogey. Needing birdie on the 18th to have a chance, he drove it into a bunker. Fleetwood shot 69 and finished one shot out of the playoff.

Fleetwood tied with Scottie Scheffler, who grazed the edge of so many putts on the back nine and had to settle for a 67.

Scheffler has not finished worse than eighth place in his last 12 tournaments dating to March. He played the final round without his regular caddie, Ted Scott, who rushed back home to Louisiana for an emergency.

Rickie Fowler, who missed the postseason last year, shot 69 to tie for sixth and advance. Others who moved into the top 50 were Kurt Kitayama, Jhonattan Vegas and J.T. Poston.

The top 50 are assured of being in all the USD 20 million Signature Events next year.

Jordan Spieth (68) to tie for 38th and finished at No. 54 and Chris Kirk hit into the water on the 15th for bogey and failed to birdie the par-5 16th and ended at No. 51. PTI CORR KHS KHS