Q. Start at 17, just from when you get there through the whole shot and reaction and everything.
AKSHAY BHATIA: Yeah, I think it was like 213 or 214 hole. The wind was straight off the left, so it was a perfect 5-iron. I could draw it, which is nice. Again, that's a hole you're just trying to hit it front of the green to back of the green.
But I told myself just don't be afraid to hit it, execute it, because it's easy to bail out there. When that golf ball goes in, it was the craziest thing in the world. My caddie was pointing at the car and I'm like, don't even know what to do. I couldn't even feel my body.
Still even going to 18 tee was pretty nuts how much adrenaline I had.
Q. You said it yourself; every shot counts in the TOUR Championship. Is it kind of wild to think that that eagle on 17 might be the difference between being in that top 30 or not?
AKSHAY BHATIA: Yeah, I mean, again, I could have made two straight birdies to finish the round and I'm not going to say that one shot -- it obviously certainly helps, but there's still 18 holes tomorrow, so I'm just going to go try and play my best tomorrow.
Q. I think it was your first ace on TOUR, but have you had them growing up?
AKSHAY BHATIA: I've had five but nothing meaningful.
Q. Is this five or is this six?
AKSHAY BHATIA: This is six now. I've been close for a long, long time on TOUR. Quail Hollow I hit the flag on 17. Mexico this year I hit it to like an inch. It's always been so, so close. Again, to have two hole-outs today was pretty insane. I saw Nicolai Højgaard on the DP Tour had two hole-outs in three holes, so again, maybe thinking of that just helped. I don't know.
Q. What's your car situation back in Florida?
AKSHAY BHATIA: Yeah, I mean, I'm not sure -- I don't really necessarily need a new car: I'm pretty happy with what I've got. I think either I'll give it to my caddie or figure something out to where I can donate it to charity or something.
Q. What club did you hit on the first hole-out?
AKSHAY BHATIA: I hit sand wedge on the first hole-out.
Q. You shoot 75 on the first day. You talked to me earlier this week about the mental toll that the season has put on you. Could have been easy to mail it in the last three days. What was the mindset after that first round and trying to get yourself back into the FedExCup push?
AKSHAY BHATIA: Yeah, again, frustrating start. Took myself out of the tournament pretty quick, especially with Bob shooting 8-under.
But I felt like if I can kind of go shoot 2-under each day, it's a nice goal, just because if I get it to 1-under par with how hard this golf course is, you just never know.
Again, every shot counts. I don't want to just shrug it in and not make it to the finish line. I want to try everything I can.
Yesterday I finished nice, and today was even better.
Q. Are you a guy that checks scoreboards tomorrow? Will you look and see where you're at down the stretch?
AKSHAY BHATIA: I try not to, but I do. Even when I'm putting, I try and see where my FedEx is projected. Again, something that I'm aware of and need to, again, focus on what I'm trying to do. But just the nature of the game. You just want to know where you're at. Again, I'm not going to leave anything on the table tomorrow.
Q. When it comes to the Evans scholarship, is it kind of mindblowing that one shot changes somebody's life essentially?
AKSHAY BHATIA: Yeah, it's the coolest thing. It warms my heart that a golf shot that I hit can help a kid get a full scholarship. Again, it was a lot of fun. This event is amazing when the kids and the caddies get to come walk with us inside the ropes for two days. I just am very blessed and thankful for that opportunity that Evans Scholars provided this week.
This one is great. My first one was at Pinehurst No. 2 when I was like 11, which is hard to beat. I hit like a 7-wood. But this one was -- I can rest my head on my pillow knowing I made a hole-in-one on the PGA TOUR.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports