Akshay Bhatia shoots career-best 62 to lead in Memphis. Scheffler is 5 back

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Akshay Bhatia had a blazing finish to get his PGA Tour postseason off to a good start, closing eagle-birdie-birdie for an 8-under 62 to post his career low and take a one-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood in the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

Scottie Scheffler, playing for the first time since winning the British Open for his second major of the year, made bogey on the final hole for a 67, his 10th straight round in the 60s.

Bhatia comes into the FedEx Cup playoffs at No. 45, with only the top 50 advancing to the second of three tournaments in the lucrative postseason. The idea is to be among the top 30 who reach East Lake for a shot at the $10 million bonus.

He was paired with Harry Hall of England, who is at No. 44. Hall was matching Bhatia until the final two holes, when Bhatia rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th and stuffed a short iron into 2 feet on 18.

Bhatia said he has been spending too much time thinking about numbers, whether it's his score or his world ranking or his position in the FedEx Cup. The goal is to keep his mind peaceful.

“I felt pretty relaxed, and I’m just not trying to force anything,” he said. “It's OK to get mad at golf shots but not at yourself.”

Justin Rose and Bud Cauley, who is at No. 53, also were at 64 on a TPC Southwind that has 18 new greens and a course with much thicker rough.

Fleetwood is all but set for the FedEx Cup finale at No. 9, though he would love to get that first PGA Tour title to go along with European tour wins against strong fields. He hit 13 out of 14 fairway, and the one he missed led to a birdie when he holed a bunker shot on No. 9.

“People talk about this golf course as a second-shot golf course, but it's only a second-shot golf course if you're in the fairway,” Fleetwood said. “I hit the ball so well off the tee that I was always giving myself an opportunity.”

And then it helped to see the putts drop, four straight birdies to close out his round.

Fleetwood has the right outlook for this postseason series. Asked if he looked at the three weeks as one big event or each tournament on its own, Fleetwood said, “It really day to day.”

Projections can fluctuate with shots from anyone on any part of the course. Rickie Fowler, who missed the top 70 who qualify for the postseason last year, came in at No. 64 and shot 66, which projects him inside the top 50.

Jordan Spieth was at No. 48. He had to rally on the back nine for a 69 that put him out of the top 50, and then back to No. 50 by the end of the day.

Scheffler is assured the No. 1 seed for at least another week. He looked plenty sharp, giving himself a lot of looks at birdie and converting four of them. He missed out on a good birdie chance at the par-5 16th when he drove into the rough and sent the next shot into a bunker about 100 yards short of the green. He also took three putts from 70 feet on the final hole.

“Today was a good day. I did some solid stuff,” Scheffler said. “Felt like I was close to playing a really great round but ended up with a solid round. Overall a decent start.”

This is one of the more important weeks of the PGA Tour because of what's at stake. Not only do the top 50 advance to the BMW Championship, they are assured of being in all the $20 million signature event for next year.

Among those on the bubble, Si Woo Kim (No. 46) opened with a 65 and former U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark had a 67.

“It's kind of like dicey spot right now,” Kim said. “And started struggling, so I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can get through to next week.’ But tried to keep it as simple as possible, and that helps me a lot. I had a great round, so hopefully I’ve got more room the next couple days. Just trying to make it simple and not much think about next week.”

Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, who might be the first playing captain since 1963, opened with a 72. Bradley is No. 10 in the Ryder Cup standings. He played with Maverick McNealy, who is 11th in the standings. McNealy shot 66.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Bud Cauley hits on the seventh hole during the first round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Tommy Fleetwood, of England, hits on the 17th hole during the first round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Harry Hall, of England, chips on second hole during the first round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Scottie Scheffler hands his putter to his caddie on fourth green during the first round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Akshay Bhatia hits out of the bunker on the second hole during the first round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

CARY, N.C. (AP) — Clayton Kershaw isn't done pitching just yet, agreeing Thursday to join the U.S. team for this year's World Baseball Classic.

The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner wanted to pitch for the Americans in the 2023 tournament but was prevented because of insurance issues. He had a $20 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the time.

“I was too broken for the insurance to cover my arm and everything,” Kershaw said on MLB Network, “so now that it doesn't matter I get to go and be a part of this group.”

A left-hander who turns 38 two days after the March 17 championship game, Kershaw announced last September that he was retiring at the end of the season, his 18th in a stellar career for the Dodgers. He won his third World Series title and finished 223-96 with a 2.53 ERA and 3,052 strikeouts.

“I just want to be the insurance policy,” Kershaw said. “If anybody needs a breather or if they need me to pitch back-to-back-to-back or if they don’t need me to pitch at all, I’m just there to be there. I just want to be a part of this group.”

Later Thursday, new Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman announced he will join the U.S. team.

When Kershaw received a call from U.S. manager Mark DeRosa, he thought he was being invited as a coach.

“I didn't have a whole lot of interest in picking up a baseball again," Kershaw said. “I started throwing 10, 12 days ago and it doesn’t feel terrible, so I think I’ll be OK.”

Kershaw joins a U.S. pitching staff that includes right-handers David Bednar, Clay Holmes, Griffin Jax, Nolan McLean, Mason Miller, Joe Ryan, Paul Skenes and Logan Webb along with left-handers Tarik Skubal and Gabe Speier.

The American roster also includes catchers Cal Raleigh and Will Smith; infielders Ernie Clement, Gunnar Henderson, Brice Turang and Bobby Witt Jr.; outfielders Byron Buxton, Corbin Carroll, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Aaron Judge; and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.

The U.S., which lost the 2023 championship game to Japan, opens March 6 against Brazil at Houston, part of a group that also includes Britain, Italy and Mexico.

Shohei Ohtani struck out then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout to end Japan's 3-2 win in the 2023 championship. Kershaw doesn't anticipate facing Ohtani, his teammate for the Dodgers' World Series titles in 2024 and 2025.

“I think something will have gone terribly wrong if I have to pitch against team Japan in the finals or something. I think we got plenty of guys to get that guy out and not me,” Kershaw said. “But if that happens, I'll be nervous. I'll be nervous at this point.”

AP baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw celebrates the end of the top of the 12th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of baseball's World Series, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)