On Thursday at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Akshay Bhatia took the lead after closing with a birdie to finish at 8 under 64. He had chipped in for eagle from 83 feet on the 17th hole at Detroit Golf Club.
The 22-year-old Bhatia, who won his second PGA TOUR championship at the Texas Open in April, was 6-under through his final six holes. Last week in Connecticut, when he was in the last group that was disturbed by demonstrators against climate change on the eighteenth green, he tied for sixth.
Defending champion Rickie Fowler shot 66, closing with three consecutive birdies. Will Zalatoris, Aaron Rai, Eric Cole, and Matti Schmid were also at 66.
Taylor Montgomery and Michael Kim were a stroke back. Montgomery had a 6-under 30 on his front nine and added one more birdie on the back in a bogey-free round.
A shot behind were Cameron Young and Neal Shipley, who was playing on the PGA TOUR for the first time.
After eight holes, 23-year-old Shipley, the low amateur at the Masters and U.S. Open, was 2-over. He then finished the last ten holes in 7-under. First, he eagled the par-4, and on Nos. 4–8, he made five consecutive birdies.
Only 10 of the top 50 players in the world are competing in the tournament; Bhatia is rated 31st.
Tom Kim, the field’s top-ranked player at No. 16, fell to Scottie Scheffler in a playoff match last week and could have been fatigued after competing in nine straight tournaments.
Kim, who shot 73, will need to shoot 73 again to make the cut on this short course that has forgiving greens and is full of birdie opportunities.
Two well-known amateurs made their debuts on the PGA TOUR.
After an opening 69, Luke Clanton, who established a Florida State record with a scoring average of 69.3, has a chance to go into the weekend.
Miles Russell, who made the cut to become the youngest player in Korn Ferry Tour history, is skilled enough to receive a sponsor exemption. He is theoretically not allowed to enter the men’s locker room at Detroit Golf Club, and at 15, he is too young to drive the courtesy car given by the event.
