Career-low 62 puts the 23-year-old atop a loaded leaderboard as bubble boys fight for their professional lives in Memphis heat

Twenty-three-year-old Akshay Bhatia torched TPC Southwind with a career-low 8-under 62 in the opening round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, taking a one-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood as the 2025 playoff drama officially kicked into high gear. The lengthy left-hander’s round was a masterclass in ball-striking, connecting on 15 greens in regulation and splitting 10 fairways on his way to leading the field in strokes gained tee to green.

The fireworks came late in his round, with Bhatia carding three consecutive 3s to close out his day – highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 16th that doubled his under-par score from 4 to 8. “It’s a ball striker’s golf course,” Bhatia explained after his round. “Statistically, guys who have won here in the past, it’s about ball striking off the tee. That’s something that is suited to my game.”

The Leaderboard Battle Takes Shape

Behind Bhatia’s blazing start, Tommy Fleetwood sits alone in second at 7-under, followed by a three-way tie for third featuring Justin Rose, Harry Hall, and Bud Cauley at 6-under. The veteran Rose started his week battling illness but still managed to post a stellar 64 despite not playing a practice round.

In the tier behind at 4-under, we find Russell Henley, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Maverick McNealy, and notably, Rickie Fowler – whose bogey-free opening round has him projected to move inside the crucial top 50. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler posted a workmanlike 3-under 67, staying within striking distance while leaving room for improvement.

Bubble Watch: Careers on the Line

The tournament within the tournament centers on the cutthroat race to finish inside the top 50 FedEx Cup standings, with only those players advancing to next week’s BMW Championship and securing exemptions into all eight 2026 Signature Events. The bubble is razor-thin, and Thursday’s action created some significant movement.

Rickie Fowler, who entered the week outside the top 50, made the kind of move he desperately needed with his bogey-free 66, projecting him into the safe zone. Other notable players fighting for their playoff lives include Jordan Spieth (currently projected 50th), Wyndham Clark, and defending bubble boy Min Woo Lee, who endured a nightmare start.

When Good Players Go Bad

Min Woo Lee, who entered the week as the “Bubble Boy” at No. 50, shot a disastrous 6-over 76 and finished dead last in the 69-player field. A triple-bogey at the 13th hole proved particularly costly for the Australian, whose season now hangs by the thinnest of threads.

The carnage wasn’t limited to Lee, as several established names struggled in the oppressive Memphis heat. With no cut in playoff events, these players will have three more rounds to salvage their seasons, but the mountain is getting steeper by the hour.

What’s Really at Stake This Week

Beyond just advancing to the BMW Championship, finishing in the top 50 this week guarantees entry into all eight signature events next season, meaning guaranteed money and access to the biggest purses on tour. For players like Fowler, Spieth, and Clark, this week represents the difference between a comfortable 2026 schedule and scrambling for starts.

With quadruple points on offer (2,000 to the winner compared to 500 in regular events), the leaderboard can shift dramatically over the next three days. A single round can launch a player from outside the bubble to safety – or send someone tumbling from security to uncertainty.

The Memphis heat is just getting started, and so is the drama that defines playoff golf.