Akshay Bhatia uses 64 to take Rocket Mortgage lead
PGA golfer Akshay Bhatia hits the ball from the first tee, during round one of the Rocket Mortgage Classic at the Detroit Golf Club in Detroit on Thursday, June 27, 2024. Akshay Bhatia used a sizzling closing stretch to post an 8-under 64 and take the first-round lead at the Rocket Mortgage Classic on Thursday at Detroit Golf Club.
Bhatia, 22, is seeking his third PGA Tour title in a roughly 11-month span after winning the Barracuda Championship last July and the Valero Texas Open in April.
His bogey-free round put him one stroke ahead of Taylor Montgomery and Michael Kim. Defending champion Rickie Fowler opened with a 6-under 66 and is tied for fourth with Will Zalatoris, Eric Cole, Germany's Matti Schmid and England's Aaron Rai.
Bhatia had four birdies through 15 holes before a birdie-eagle-birdie finish. He stuck his approach at the par-4 16th hole inside 6 feet to set up birdie. Then came a chip-in eagle from just off the green, about 83 feet from the hole at the par-5 17th, giving him the lead at the time. He closed his day with a 7-foot birdie putt at No. 18.
Fowler also had a bogey-free round and birdied four of the final five holes of the round. His victory at last year's Rocket Mortgage ended a winless spell of more than four years.
Cameron Young, who shot 59 during the third round of last week's Travelers Championship, is part of a group tied at 5-under 67.
Amateur Miles Russell, 15, shot a 2-over 74 in his first round on the PGA Tour. The top-ranked junior in the world is playing on a sponsor's exemption.
--Field Level Media