Akshay Bhatia leads list of contenders who need to win the Texas Open and earn Masters bid
It's going to be a battle royal for the Valero Texas Open on the weekend -- for both the title at the TPC San Antonio Oaks Course and with it, the final spot in next week's Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
Led by Akshay Bhatia, who has a five-shot lead entering the third round on Saturday at 11-under-par 133, 10 of the 17 players tied for 10th or higher need a victory to get the final spot in the Masters.
In addition to Bhatia, who shot 63 in the first round, the following players who need to win to get in at Augusta are within striking distance:
Tied for second, 6-under: Two former Georgia Bulldogs, Russell Henley and Brendon Todd.
Tied for sixth, 4-under: 2018 Players champion and 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson and Monday qualifier Peter Kuest.
Tied for 10th, 3-under: Ryan Moore, Nick Hardy, Matti Schmid, Robby Shelton and Mark Hubbard.
Bhatia is looking very good this week. He's hit 80 percent of his greens and leads the field in Strokes Gained Overall.
Bhatia won the PGA Tour's Barracuda Championship last year but didn't qualify for the Masters because it was an event held opposite the British Open. He's also won on the Korn Ferry Tour.
The only players among the top-10 who are already in the Masters are Denny McCarthy (tied for second), Rory McIlroy (solo fifth), Tommy Fleetwood and Adam Schenk (tied for sixth) and defending Texas Open champion Corey Conners, Jordan Spieth and Thorbjorn Oleson (tied for 10th).
Conners was the last player to win the week before the Masters to qualify when he won at TPC San Antonio in 2019.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Valero Texas Open contenders battle into the weekend for a Masters bid
