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SAN ANTONIO — Akshay Bhatia survived a rocky begin Friday within the Valero Texas Open by rallying with a pair of late birdies for a 2-under 70 that stretched his result in 5 photographs and raised hopes of getting the ultimate spot within the Masters subsequent week.
Bhatia began with a 3-shot lead and opened with a 15-foot birdie putt, maybe an indication that this is likely to be one other straightforward day. Removed from it.
He made bogey from the bunker on the subsequent gap. He three-putted for bogey from lengthy vary. He didn’t birdie the par-5s on the again 9. He now not had the lead.
However the 22-year-old settled himself with birdies on the par-5s on the entrance 9 on the TPC San Antonio, and a birdie on the par-3 eighth. The wind stored whipping, challengers stored dropping and he wound up increasing his lead.
Bhatia was at 11-under 133. Denny McCarthy, who performed within the afternoon, obtained inside 4 photographs of him till a bogey from the golf green on the par-5 18th for a 70. That dropped him to 6-under 138, together with Brendon Todd (72) and Russell Henley (69).
“It was irritating, for certain, wasn’t my greatest stuff,” Bhatia stated. “I felt like I struggled rather a lot off the tee as we speak, golf swing did not really feel nice with any of the longer stuff, however iron play was nonetheless phenomenal, wedges had been good, made some good putts.
“It was good to get the under-par spherical.”
Rory McIlroy had one other regular day of pars and did properly sufficient for a 70 to remain within the combine at 139.
McIlroy, in his closing occasion earlier than he tries once more to finish the profession Grand Slam at Augusta Nationwide, has made three birdies in every of the opening two rounds. His lone bogey was on the seventh gap, his sixteenth of the spherical, when he missed a 5-foot putt.
“I may stand right here and say I want I used to be a number of photographs higher and missed a number of putts and no matter, nevertheless it was tough situations,” McIlroy stated. “Akshay is enjoying rather well, however other than that, nobody’s actually lighting the world on hearth. Simply hold grinding away.
“I’ve solely made one bogey over two days, which I am actually happy with,” he stated. “Would have been good to make a number of extra birdies, however fairly pleased with the final two days.”
Bhatia gained the Barracuda Championship final summer season, nevertheless it was performed the identical week because the British Open and it didn’t get him into the Masters. Augusta Nationwide is holding one spot for the winner of the Texas Open.
Tommy Fleetwood (69), Webb Simpson (67) and Monday qualifier Peter Kuest (71) had been amongst these at 140. Of the highest 9 gamers, solely Bhatia, Todd, Simpson and Kuest usually are not already within the discipline for the Masters.
Jordan Spieth is a previous Masters champion, and he will not have to go away early for Augusta. Spieth, who has missed his previous two cuts, rallied with a 68 to not solely make the reduce however transfer right into a tie for tenth, 8 photographs behind Bhatia.
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