How many OWGR spots did Akshay Bhatia jump after the Valero Texas Open win? Rankings explored

Modified Apr 08, 2024 11:04 GMT

Valero Texas Open - Final Round — Akshay Bhatia makes huge jump in OWGR after winning the Valero Texas Open

Following his triumph at the Valero Texas Open 2024, Akshay Bhatia has broken into the top 50 in the latest OWGR update. He has made a 53-spot surge in the Official World Golf Rankings to reach 34th, his best ranking.

Bhatia was ranked 87th in the world before entering the TPC San Antonio and was in dire need of a win to earn an invitation to the Masters Tournament. For the uninitiated, the top 50 ranked players and the PGA Tour winners for the season receive direct entry into the playing field. Although Bhatia won the Barracuda Championship, it was an opposite-field event to the Open Championship.

He remained consistent throughout the week and never lost the lead in all four rounds of the Valero Texas Open. Although he felt a bit scared when Denny McCarthy tied with him at 20-under after the final round of 63, he beat the golfer in an extra hole.

At the start of the PGA Tour 2024 season, Bhatia was ranked 110th in the OWGR, but with six top-25 finishes, including the win on Sunday, he has made a significant rise in the world rankings.

The 22-year-old golfer has become the fifth youngest player to win two titles on the PGA Tour. He's behind Tom Kim (20 years, 2 months), Jordan Spieth (21 years, 7 months), Si Woo Kim (21 years, 10 months) and Rory McIlroy (22 years, 1 month).