TRUCKEE, Calif. — Akshay Bhatia birdied the closing hole in regulation, then capitalized in sudden death when Patrick Rodgers found a divot in the fairway to win his first PGA Tour title at the Barracuda Championship on Sunday.
The 21-year-old Bhatia, who turned pro at 17, earned full status on tour and a spot in the FedEx Cup playoffs. He had been playing under special temporary membership since his runner-up finish at the Puerto Rico Open in March.
“It’s obviously been a really tough road. I’ve had a lot of up, a lot of down. A lot of good, a lot of bad,” Bhatia said.