Indian-American Akshay Bhatia comes close to third PGA Tour win as he shares lead at 3M Open

Blaine (USA), July 27 (IANS) Akshay Bhatia shot a career-equalling 8-under 63 on the moving day to move in a share for the lead at the 3M Open on the PGA Tour. He shared the lead with Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen who aced the par-3 eighth and shot a 4-under 67 at the TPC Twin Cities.

Bhatia, a 23-year-old Indian-American, whose parents came from India, chipped in twice on way to 63, as he seeks his third PGA TOUR victory in his 90th start with his previous wins being the 2023 Barracuda Championship and the 2024 Valero Texas Open. His third round 8-under 63 matched his career-low score which he has shot five times. The last time Bhatia played the 3M Open, he was T-64 in 2024.

Bhatia, No. 46 in the FedExCup, is attempting to go right up to the Tour Championship as he did in 2024.

Bhatia said, "I chipped in twice, made a lot of putts. A lot of putts lipped in, which was really nice to see. All in all, just a pretty solid round. Felt like I did a pretty good job of playing out of the rough today. I didn’t hit it particularly great off the tee, but thankfully greens are soft enough to where you can kind of do that.”

Bhatia, who closed 2024 with a fourth place in World Challenge at Tiger Woods’ tournament has also got three Top-10s in 2025 including Tied-third at the Players. He chipped in from 42 feet for birdie on the fifth and from 55 feet for another birdie on 11. “I’m just trying to play solid golf and hopefully the cards fall my way tomorrow," said Bhatia.

Tied for first with Bhatia is Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen seeking his first PGA Tour win, is making his 3M Open debut, holds 54-hole lead/co-lead for the first time on the PGA Tour. He entered the week No. 129 in the FedExCup and the eight-time DP World Tour winner earned PGA Tour membership for the 2025 season after finishing No. 7 in the 2024 DP World Tour Top 10, which awards Tour membership to the top 10 finishers in the final

Race to Dubai Rankings, not otherwise exempt.

The 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard winner, Kurt Kitayama recorded a career-low 11-under 60 and T-3 at 17-under. Kitayama also matched the tournament and course record with a 60.

Also tied third is Takumi Kanaya (65) and seeks to become the sixth player from Japan to win on Tour and second this season after Hideki Matsuyama, who won The Sentry title.

Also in a tie for third are Sam Stevens (66) and Jake Knapp (67).

Lying in a three-way tie for seventh are Chris Gotterup (65), Pierceson Coody (67) and Jesper Svensson (63) at 16-under.

--IANS

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