Clark one shot ahead while Bhatia is assured of Tour Championship spot

St. Louis, Aug 22 (IANS) Wyndham Clark continued his impressive run at Bellerive Country Club, firing a second straight six-under 64 to take a one-shot lead at 12-under 128 after 36 holes of the BMW Championship in St. Louis.

Gary Woodland, backed by strong local support, moved into second place at 11-under 129 after a 65, while J.J. Spaun was another stroke behind at 10-under following a 66 on his 36th birthday.

Among the players of Indian interest, Akshay Bhatia, supported by Hero, remained comfortably best placed and is the only one assured of a place in next week’s Tour Championship at this stage. The Indian-American followed his opening 67 with a two-under 68 and is five-under 135, tied 16th. He had four birdies against two bogeys in his second round and is 15th in the FedExCup standings.

Indo-British golfer Aaron Rai, the reigning PGA Champion, was tied 34th at one-under 139 after rounds of 68 and 71, while fellow Indian-origin player Sahith Theegala, also backed by Hero, was tied 48th at three-over 143 following rounds of 71 and 72. Rai is currently tied 40th in the FedExCup standings, with Theegala 49th.

With only the top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings advancing to the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake, Rai and Theegala face a difficult task. Their current positions in the BMW Championship have put them in danger of dropping outside the qualification places, while Bhatia’s 15th position in the standings is sure to secure his place in Atlanta.

Bhatia’s 67-68 start has also kept him in contention for a strong finish at Bellerive. His five-under total has placed him inside the top 20 and allows him to climb further up the leaderboard over the final 36 holes.

At the top, Clark has looked remarkably comfortable through two rounds. The two-time U.S. Open champion has remained bogey-free and reached 12-under 128. His only significant test came Thursday when he needed an 18-foot putt to save par on the 10th hole. Clark also arrived at Bellerive with considerable momentum after tying for fifth in last week’s FedEx Cup Playoffs opener at TPC Southwind.

Woodland’s second-round 65 was highlighted by a spectacular finish. He birdied his final two holes, hitting a 2-iron into the 608-yard 17th before putting his wedge to eight feet on the 18th. His 11-under total leaves him just one shot behind Clark.

Woodland is also feeding off the support of fans in Missouri, having grown up less than four hours away in Kansas. His bid to move from No. 31 into the top 30 has added another layer of significance to his impressive performance.

His resurgence is particularly notable given the health challenges he has faced since undergoing brain surgery in 2023. Woodland admitted to feeling tired after his round and said he needs to focus on recovery rather than looking too far ahead as he attempts to reach the Tour Championship for the first time in six years.

Spaun’s 66 took him to 10-under 130, while Sungjae Im surged with a 64 to reach seven-under. Im, No. 40 in the FedEx Cup standings, is trying to extend his streak of reaching the Tour Championship every season since joining the PGA Tour in 2019. Patrick Cantlay and Rocket Classic winner Michael Thorbjornsen were another two shots back at eight-under 132.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler recovered from his opening 72 with a 65 but remains nine shots behind Clark. Scheffler is already assured of the $23 million bonus for leading the FedEx Cup standings into East Lake, while Rory McIlroy was five shots off the lead after a 69.

With two rounds remaining, Clark has established a clear advantage at the top, while the battle for the final Tour Championship places promises to provide the weekend’s biggest drama. For the Indian-origin contingent, Bhatia has secured his place in Atlanta, but Rai and Theegala will need a major weekend turnaround to join him.

–IANS

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