Loophole Could Cost Rookie Winner Akshay Bhatia a Spot in FedEx Cup Playoffs

Last year, Tom Kim, then 20, had Special Temporary Status on the PGA Tour and needed a win to get into the FedEx Cup playoffs. He did it in dramatic fashion, winning the Wyndham Championship the week before the playoffs started to get into the playoffs.

It looked like history was going to repeat itself in 2023. Akshay Bhatia, 21, was victorious in the Barracuda Championship over the weekend and appeared to collect 300 FedEx Cup points that went to the winner of the alternate event to The Open Championship.

The accolades just keep coming for @AkshayBhatia_1 😎 pic.twitter.com/0kiSCjd7aZ

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 24, 2023

While Bhatia earned his PGA Tour card, along with spots in The Players Championship, Sentry Tournament of Champions, and PGA Championship, a loophole in the FedEx Cup points program is keeping him out of the playoffs—for now.

Because the Barracuda was a joint event between the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, there were non-member regulations in place that kept him from earning points. A similar rule cost Shane Lowry a spot in the playoffs after winning a WGC event in 2019.

With the points from last week’s win—along with a ninth the week before in the co-sanctioned Barbasol Championship—Bhatia would’ve been 51^st in the standings. That would be comfortably in position to make the top 70 and qualify for the FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

As it stands, however, Bhatia is 92^nd in the standings. He is choosing now to play in the 3M Open this week. That leaves the Wyndham Championship, where Bhatia won’t have to repeat what Kim did last year, but he will need a solo fourth or better to reach this year’s playoffs.

With adversity comes opportunity 💪

The road has been full of twists and turns for 21-year-old @AkshayBhatia_1.

Now, he is a champion and has earned full status on TOUR. pic.twitter.com/0rJkb84flg

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 25, 2023

Cover Image via GolfWeek