tlanta, Aug 25 Indian-American Akshay Bhatia closed his season on a high note at the Tour Championship, carding a composed 2-under 68 in the final round to secure a share of 13th place at East Lake Golf Club.
The 22-year-old, who squeezed into the season finale as the last qualifier at No. 30 in the FedEx Cup standings, showcased once again that he belongs among the sport’s elite.
While Bhatia finished strongly, the spotlight belonged to Tommy Fleetwood. On a dramatic final day, the Englishman finally shed the label of “best player without a PGA Tour win” by capturing not only his long-awaited maiden PGA Tour victory but also the FedEx Cup crown.
Fleetwood sealed the double with a steady 2-under 68, completing the week at 18-under-par for a three-stroke triumph over Patrick Cantlay and Russell Henley.
Fleetwood, tied with Cantlay entering the final round, showed remarkable composure under pressure. His round featured birdies on the second, sixth, seventh, 12th, and 13th, offset by bogeys at the fifth, 10th, and 15th. Crucially, he parred the closing stretch to clinch his breakthrough win.
The 34-year-old also lifted two trophies – the FedEx Cup and the iconic “Calamity Jane” replica putter – along with a USD 10 million prize.
Cantlay, his nearest challenger, stumbled early with a bogey and double bogey, while World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler saw his hopes vanish after finding water on the 15th. Rory McIlroy finished tied for 23rd with a closing 70. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, in contention for much of the day, settled for a tie for seventh after a 70, leaving him with the decision of whether to use one of his six captain’s picks on himself.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler hit his opening tee shot out of bounds but stayed a big threat till his tee shot went into the water on the 15th. Rory McIlroy (70) ended Tied-23rd.
For Bhatia, the week was a statement of consistency and resilience. His final round featured back-to-back birdies on the third and fourth holes, a setback on the fifth, then a brilliant three-birdie run from the sixth to the eighth. A bogey at the ninth left him 3-under at the turn. On the inward stretch, he strung together seven pars before a costly double bogey on the 17th. He closed with a birdie on the 18th to finish 10-under overall, pocketing USD 5,70,000.
Fleetwood’s long-awaited victory marked the end of years of near misses and heartbreaks, including recent late collapses at the Travelers Championship and the FedEx St. Jude Championship. With the monkey finally off his back, the Englishman now turns his attention to chasing a maiden Major title in 2026.
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