The FedExCup Playoffs kicked off on Thursday with the first round of the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, and things got exciting quickly. In the hot Memphis weather, Akshay Bhatia took charge by shooting an amazing score of 8-under-par 62, leading the pack and showing everyone that he’s here to compete seriously.

Bhatia Breaks Away

The 22-year-old left-handed golfer turned TPC Southwind into his playground, hitting eight birdies without any mistakes. His iron shots were precise, his putting was sure, and his swing had a great rhythm. Bhatia has been improving consistently all season and now finds himself in new territory at the front of a playoff event going into Friday.

Fleetwood Soars

Just one stroke behind is Tommy Fleetwood, who played calmly and skilfully to achieve a 7-under 63. The English player has almost won many big tournaments, and after completing a round without making bogeys and scoring multiple birdies, he’s in a great spot to go for his first win on the PGA TOUR.

Close Competition

A strong group of players is right behind at 6-under, including Justin Rose, Harry Hall, and Bud Cauley, all looking sharp throughout the day. A little further back, at -5, is a group including Si Woo Kim, while well-known players like Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, and Russell Henley are close at -4, ready to jump into the race.

Scheffler Has a Rough Start — For Now

Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked player and pre-tournament favourite, didn’t perform as well today, finishing at 3-under-par. While he’s still in the game, he’ll need to play much better in the next round if he wants to stay in the competition and maintain his strong playoff performance.

Up-and-Coming Players to Watch

Swedish golfer Ludvig Åberg quietly had a strong showing with a 3-under 67, proving he’s more mature than his age suggests. He scored three birdies in a row on the back nine, which was impressive, and he’s a player to keep an eye on over the next 54 holes.

Leaderboard After Round 1:

1. Akshay Bhatia – 62 (–8)
2. Tommy Fleetwood – 63 (–7)
T3. Justin Rose, Harry Hall, Bud Cauley – 64 (–6)
T6. Si Woo Kim – 65 (–5)
T7. Morikawa, Fowler, Henley, McNealy, Griffin – 66 (–4)
T12. Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Åberg – 67 (–3)