Akshay Bhatia and Tom Kim Shine at Travelers Championship
Indian American golfer Akshay Bhatia is tied for second place in the Travelers Championship, while Korea’s Tom Kim leads after two rounds. Kim celebrated his 22nd birthday with a 5-under 65, remaining bogey-free for the second straight day.
Bhatia, who shot 64 on the first day, added a 65 with seven birdies and two bogeys. He birdied twice in the first three holes and added further birdies on the sixth, eighth, ninth, 15th, and 17th holes. His bogeys came on the fifth and 18th holes.
Another Indian American, Sahith Theegala, is tied for 24th place with rounds of 69 and 67. Theegala said, “It was great. I hit a lot of quality shots. I got up and down when I needed to, other than 18, but other than that I played good.”
Kim, seeking his fourth PGA TOUR victory, continued his impressive form at TPC River Highlands, reaching a career-low 36-hole score of 13-under 127. He is ahead of close friend and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, and Akshay Bhatia, who are tied for second place on 129.
Leader Kim said, “I’ve been playing really, really solid. It’s not about this week, it’s about keeping building these momentum blocks for the rest of the season.” Kim’s round was highlighted by five birdies over his first 10 holes, and his putting was equally impressive.
If Kim secures victory on Sunday, he will become the first Asian winner in the tournament’s history. He attributed his strong performance to extra practice and aims to maintain his form for the rest of the season, with the FedExCup Playoffs, Olympic Games, and Presidents Cup on the horizon.
