I don’t suppose anybody alive has ever done more for the game, not Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen, not anybody, except possibly the Scotsman who invented it in the first place. The Scots invented it, but Hope and Bing Crosby popularized it. When they used to do their wartime fund-raising tours, the game was popularly believed to be the private reserve of guys who ran railroads or owned oil wells. It was restricted to posh country clubs the average Joe got into only for school dances. Hope changed all that. He brought the game down to the level of the common man. If Hope could play it, anybody could. BOB HOPE
The 19-year-old prodigy who skipped college and turned pro has only shown glimpses of greatness. But facing uncertain Korn Ferry Tour status Akshay Bhatia, pulled off a win that will change his year, notes GolfChannel.com’s Brentley Romine:
Bhatia got into this week’s field courtesy of the category reserved for Nos. 151-200 in FedExCup points, and his original goal, one that remained as he began his final round, was to finish inside the top 10 and automatically qualify for another week. Such is the life of a tour pro without full status. Only Bhatia, who played his final nine in 5 under with birdies on three of his last four holes, no longer has that problem.
He finished the win off in style, hitting the 18th hole flagstick:
The week started off with Bhatia and girlfriend Presleigh Schultz explaining the partnership that all started with an Instagam DM and without her knowing anything about golf. (But she is a content creator and business manager!).