Talented youngster Akshay Bhatia has stretched his lead in the PGA Tour’s Texas Open to five shots at halfway, raising hopes of securing the final spot in the Masters next week.
The 22-year-old American started Friday at the TPC San Antonio with a three-shot lead and opened with a 15-foot birdie putt, perhaps a sign that this might be another easy day. Far from it.
He made bogey from the bunker on the next hole. He three-putted for bogey from long range. He failed to birdie the par 5s on the back nine. He no longer had the lead.
But Bhatia settled with birdies on the par 5s on the front nine, and a birdie on the par-3 eighth. The wind kept whipping, challengers kept dropping and he wound up expanding his lead after shooting a two-under 70 to reach 11-under 133.
Denny McCarthy, who played in the afternoon, got within four shots of him until a bogey from the fairway on the par-5 18th for a 70. That dropped him to six-under and tied second with Brendon Todd (72) and Russell Henley (69).
Bhatia won the Barracuda Championship last summer, but it was played the same week as the British Open and it did not get him into the Masters. Augusta National is holding one spot for the winner of the Texas Open.
“It was stressful, for sure, wasn’t my best stuff,” Bhatia said. “I felt like I struggled a lot off the tee today, golf swing didn’t feel great with any of the longer stuff, but iron play was still phenomenal, wedges were good, made some nice putts.”
Australia’s Aaron Baddeley shot a 70 to be tied 18th, nine shots behind Bhatia, while Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, was a shot further back after a 70 as he prepares to return to Augusta National.
Rory McIlroy had another steady day of pars and did well enough for a 70 to stay in the mix in fifth place at 139.
McIlroy, in his final event before he tries again to complete the career grand slam at the Masters, has made three birdies in each of the opening two rounds.
“I could stand here and say I wish I was a few shots better and missed a few putts and whatever, but it was tricky conditions,” McIlroy said.
“Akshay is playing really well, but apart from that, no one’s really lighting the world on fire. Just keep grinding away.
“I’ve only made one bogey over two days, which I’m really pleased with,” he said. “Would have been nice to make a few more birdies, but pretty happy with the last two days.”
Tommy Fleetwood (69), Webb Simpson (67) and Monday qualifier Peter Kuest (71) were among those at 140. Of the top nine players, only Bhatia, Todd, Simpson and Kuest are not already in the field for the Masters.
