Rory McIlroy trails by 10 shots in Valero Texas Open as Akshay Bhatia maintains lead heading into final round | Golf News

Akshay Bhatia is on the verge of qualifying for The Masters after maintaining a four-shot lead at the Valero Texas Open. The young golfer shot a solid 68 on Saturday, putting him at 15-under par for the tournament, four shots ahead of Denny McCarthy.

Bhatia’s performance has been impressive, with a wire-to-wire win in sight. He is aiming to become the first wire-to-wire winner since Lee Hodges at the 2023 3M Open and the first at the Valero Open since Bob Estes in 1994.

Despite the pressure, Bhatia managed to stay focused on his game plan, carding six birdies against two bogeys in the third round. He admitted to feeling tense but relied on his caddie and psychologist for support.

Rory McIlroy, on the other hand, fell to 10 shots off the lead after a third-round 72. Brendon Todd sits in third place at eight under, while Hideki Matsuyama made a significant leap up the leaderboard with a six-under 66.

Bhatia, 22, is now on the brink of qualifying for his first major, The Masters. The Texas Open champion will secure the final berth into the prestigious tournament if he maintains his lead.

Golf fans can catch all the action of The Masters exclusively live on Sky Sports Golf from April 11-14. With Bhatia’s impressive performance, all eyes will be on him as he aims to secure his spot in golfing history.