Did Bhatia Secure a T-6 Finish at the St. Jude Championship and Break into the FedEx Cup Top 30?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Akshay Bhatia finished T-6 at the St. Jude Championship.
- His performance moved him to 29th place in the FedEx Cup.
- He secured a spot in the BMW Championship.
- Justin Rose emerged as the champion after a playoff.
- The playoffs continue with only the Top 30 players advancing.
Memphis, Aug 11 (NationPress) Akshay Bhatia showcased a consistent final round, finishing in a tie for sixth place at the St. Jude Championship, which propelled his FedEx Cup ranking into the Top 30 and kept his aspirations for the Tour Championship alive.
Bhatia completed his final round with a score of 1-under 69 at TPC Southwind on Sunday, concluding a week that kicked off with an impressive 8-under 62 in the first round. His overall score of 10-under par placed him six shots behind the champion, Justin Rose, who triumphed over JJ Spaun in a playoff.
During his final round, Bhatia gained early momentum with birdies on the second and third holes, as well as another on the ninth. Although bogeys on the seventh and 17th holes prevented a larger ascent, his sixth-place finish was sufficient to elevate him 16 positions from 45th to 29th — marking the second-largest leap of the week.
This result guarantees the 22-year-old a spot in next week’s BMW Championship, along with securing his entry into all $20 million Signature Events in 2026. By maintaining a Top-30 position in the FedEx Cup, he could achieve a second consecutive appearance at the Tour Championship.
Rose, 45, surged late with four consecutive birdies from the 14th to the 17th, finishing with a final-round score of 67 and forcing additional holes against Spaun. The English golfer clinched his 12th PGA Tour title — and 24th victory globally — with a birdie on the third playoff hole, propelling him from 25th to fourth in the FedEx Cup standings and into the top 10 worldwide.
Spaun, who wrapped up with a 65, matched Rose in regulation thanks to a crucial birdie on the 17th. He also converted a 30-foot putt on the second extra hole before Rose eventually triumphed.
Tommy Fleetwood, in pursuit of his first PGA Tour victory, held a two-shot advantage with three holes remaining but stumbled with a bogey on the 17th and a missed opportunity on the 18th, finishing just one stroke shy of the playoff.
Fleetwood ended tied for third with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who has now achieved 12 consecutive top-eight finishes since March.
Other notable performances included Rickie Fowler, whose tie for sixth assured his progression, and Kurt Kitayama, Jhonattan Vegas, and J.T. Poston, all of whom secured spots in the Top 50. Aaron Rai finished T-22 but did not advance, concluding the season ranked 53rd.
The Top 50 players in the standings are now set for all Signature Events next season. The playoffs will continue next week at the BMW Championship, where only the Top 30 will advance to the season-ending Tour Championship.