Akshay Bhatia put collectively one other robust spherical at Detroit Golf Club to keep up his lead on the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He signed for a bogey-free 5-under 67 to sit down at 13-under whole.
The two-time PGA Tour winner leads the morning wave by two pictures as Taylor Montgomery and Troy Merritt sit at 11-under. Merritt fired off an 8-under 64 to maneuver up 38 spots.
Bhatia didn’t make as many birdies however stored his scorecard clear for the second straight day. He started his day on the again 9 and recorded three birdies. Two extra birdies got here on the 1st and seventh gap.
One of the wildest moments of the morning got here on the par-5 seventeenth when his ball rolled into a drain on the course.
“Never seen it. Rules official’s by no means seen it, so it was sort of one in 1,000,000 likelihood that ball goes in that small gap in that drain, so it was fairly humorous,” Bhatia stated. “That’s in all probability the craziest [lost ball].”
Detroit Golf Club and left-handed golfers do usually not combine nicely, however Bhatia’s recreation is almost good for this observe.
“It’s a ball-striker’s golf course, a whole lot of wedges,” he stated. “That’s my robust go well with, particularly inside, I might say, 150 yards, so I believe that’s why I like this golf course. I don’t suppose there’s a distinction lefty or righty.”
He presently leads the sector in strokes gained whole at +10.372 and in strokes gained strategy to the inexperienced, selecting up +5.666. The 22-year-old has additionally solely missed three greens prior to now two days.
This week shall be about who can take advantage of birdies and keep away from expensive errors. After such a powerful spherical, Bhatia constructed off that momentum.
“I really feel like when you’re taking part in nicely, then you definitely really feel like you possibly can hit all of the golf pictures that that you must hit to make a superb golf rating,” Bhatia stated. “I believe the distinction in conditions perhaps it’s a bit more durable, however out right here, you possibly can simply make 5, six, seven birdies.”
So far, he has 11 birdies, one eagle and 24 pars on the week. If the No. 29 ranked golfer avoids catastrophe and may maintain down the pedal, his third profession win and second after the Texas Open could be inside attain.
With the afternoon teams left to play, Bhatia must wait and see if anybody matches his rating and who will seemingly be a part of him for Saturday’s ultimate tee time.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For extra golf protection, observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You may also observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
