When Akshay Bhatia, then 22, defeated Denny McCarthy in the playoffs to win the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio, he came to do one of the most fun things in the world of golf.
He boarded a flight to Augusta, Georgia.
Batia’s victory earned him the final spot available on the Masters field the following week, bringing him to 35th place.
“I played really well in a week (at San Antonio),” Batia told reporters on Tuesday ahead of Texas’ open defense. “To be honest, I filmed it and shot Denny and me. I think third place was under 11. You stepped on this property and you realize how difficult this golf course is. Just such a whirlwind. The next night, just a great memory.
Batia caught up with him in the final round of 63 after each of the first three rounds last year. Batya won by birdie in the first playoff hole.
This time, Batia was not really thinking about defending his title. He is already on the field of Masters in 2025, but this week is about getting rounded up to form for the first major of the year.
“You know, I checked into the hotel and someone asked me, he said, ‘How about this week?'” Batia said. “I said, ‘Yeah, I’m glad you came back’ he said, ‘So, what about you?’ I mean, I’m not really thinking about it.
“I feel like it’s just another week. I’m really in good spirits for Augusta next week, so it’s a great week on this golf course, where is the game and what shots do I need to improve next week? It’s very narrow and very tricky. It’s obviously windy.
“It’s kind of a adjusted week, but it’s also very cool to go backwards. It’s a mix of both. You might feel different on Thursdays.
Batia is one of more than 25 players in Texas’ open field who have already been invited to master. If anyone outside of that group won the title, he qualified for Augusta and took the same trip that Batia had gone a year ago.
“It’s a very surreal feeling. You win here. Suddenly, you’re heading straight to Augusta National and on a plane,” Batia said. “It’s about really caring and playing this golf tournament and trying to see where you’re going at the end of the week.”
– Field-level media
