Golf Playoff Updates: Scheffler, Bhatia, and Fleetwood Shine

Akshay Bhatia in action at the St. Jude Classic

Get the latest updates on the St. Jude Classic golf tournament, featuring top players like Scottie Scheffler, Akshay Bhatia, and Tommy Fleetwood.

“I'm just not trying to force anything. It's OK to get mad at golf shots, but not at yourself...”

Akshay Bhatia surged to the top of the leaderboard at the St. Jude Classic with a stunning eight-under-par 62, highlighted by four strokes gained in the last three holes. He now holds a one-shot lead over England's Tommy Fleetwood, who carded a seven-under-par 63 with four consecutive birdies in the final holes. Fleetwood is one shot ahead of a group of four, including Justin Rose, Harry Hall, and Bud Cauley. Meanwhile, world number one Scottie Scheffler struggled in his round.

South Korean golfer Kim Si-Woo sat alone in sixth place with a score of 65. Colin Morikawa led a group of five golfers in seventh place with a score of 66. Meanwhile, world number one Scottie Scheffler carded a three-under-par 67, leaving him tied for 12th place.

Lowest career round when it matters most 🔥

Akshay Bhatia is now projected No. 3 in the #FedExCup Standings after a Thursday 62. pic.twitter.com/Oqywdj71FN

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 7, 2025

Bhatia, who won the Texas Open earlier in 2024, credited a recent shift in mindset for his strong start. He's made a conscious effort to let go of negative thoughts, even when his performance hasn't met his expectations. This approach appeared to serve him well on Thursday, as he posted a stellar round to take the lead.

“Today I felt pretty relaxed,” he said. “I'm just not trying to force anything. It's OK to get mad at golf shots, but not at yourself - not self-deprecate yourself, which I tend to do.”

Bhatia bounced back from a bogey at the 12th hole with an eagle at the par-five 16th, sinking a 13-foot putt. He continued his strong finish with a birdie at the 17th, draining a 27-foot putt, and closed out his round with another birdie at the 18th, sticking his approach shot to just two feet from the pin for his seventh birdie of the day.

“I felt like I wasn't in the rough too much,” he said. “I hit it in a couple of fairway bunkers, which is OK out here. It's easier to control the golf ball.

“I felt like I wasn't putting great throughout the day, but then those last couple of putts managed to drop.”

Checking in after Round 1 @FedExChamp 🔥

1. Akshay Bhatia (-8)
2. Tommy Fleetwood (-7)
T3. Harry Hall (-6)
T3. Justin Rose
T3. Bud Cauley
6. Si Woo Kim (-5)
T7. Maverick McNealy (-4)
T7. Ben Griffin
T7. Russell Henley
T7. Rickie Fowler
T7. Collin Morikawa

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 7, 2025

Fleetwood's Late Surge

Tommy Fleetwood saved his best for last, surging to a seven-under-par 63 with four consecutive birdies in the final holes. After being three-under through 14 holes, he made birdies at 15, 16, 17, and 18 with putts ranging from 15 feet to 5 feet, showcasing his strong finishing skills in the sultry afternoon conditions.

Fleetwood credited staying patient through the early holes, where he played well but struggled to make birdies, as crucial to his successful round. He highlighted the 17th and 18th holes as the standouts of his day, where he made clutch birdie putts to cap off his strong finish.

“Eighteen, you've obviously still got work to do ... You've still got to stand up and hit a golf shot on the last. Felt really good on the tee, but to hit a golf shot like that, it was literally exactly where I was aiming, so obviously that one,” he said in choosing his best shot of his four-birdie burst.

The St. Jude Classic marks the first of three playoff events, featuring the top 70 players in the standings. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, fresh from winning the British Open, tops the standings and is competing in his first event since claiming his fourth major title and second of the year.

Scottie Scheffler was four-under through 17 holes but dropped a shot at the 18th, missing a short par putt. Meanwhile, Masters champion Rory McIlroy chose to skip the St. Jude Classic, feeling confident that he'd remain high enough in the standings to qualify for next week's BMW Championship, which follows this event.

.@AkshayBhatia_1 sets the standard early on Thursday! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KU5X3b634n

— FedEx St. Jude Championship (@FedExChamp) August 7, 2025

Rory McIlroy, the Masters champion and second in the playoff standings behind Scottie Scheffler, chose to skip the St. Jude Classic, confident his ranking would secure his spot for the BMW Championship.

The top 50 players after this week's tournament will advance to the BMW Championship, and from there, the top 30 will qualify for the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta.