 The Safeway Open Tournament Committee announced today that junior golf phenom Akshay Bhatia has accepted a Sponsor Invitation to compete in his first professional event on the PGA TOUR at the Safeway Open presented by Chevron, September 26-29 at Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, CA. On Wednesday, Bhatia became the youngest player ever to be named to the United States Walker Cup Team at the age of 17.
Bhatia joins Jordan Spieth and Patrick Rodgers as the most recent players to play on the United States Walker Cup team before playing in college. He made a splash this summer when he played in the Valspar Championship in April as a 17-year-old amateur and two weeks later proceeded to Monday qualify into the Korn Ferry Tourâs Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Championship. His appearance at the age of 17 in the Safeway Open will be his first event as a professional.
Bhatia has won five junior events in the past year including the Jones Cup Invitational and recently finished in the Top 10 at both the European Amateur Championship and the U.S. Junior Amateur. He won two silver medals at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in both the boyâs individual and the mixed team where he played with Lucy Li. He also represented the United States on the 2017 Junior Presidents Cup and 2018 Junior Ryder Cup teams.
âIâm very excited to make the Safeway Open my first event as a professional on the PGA TOUR. This is what I have been working toward for a long time,â said Bhatia. âI am very thankful that Safeway and the tournament committee have given me this exciting opportunityâ.
Last week former Dallas Cowboys Quarterback and CBS analyst, Tony Romo, also accepted a Sponsorâs Invitation to compete in the Safeway Open presented by Chevron.
The winner of the PGA TOURâs âMost Fan First Eventâ award last year, the Safeway Open presented by Chevron PGA TOUR golf event and the Chevron three-night Concert Series will provide fans with an authentic Napa experience by bringing together world-renowned local chefs including Thomas Keller of French Laundry, over 50 wineries, popular musicians and 144 of the worldâs best golfers all on one stage. The Safeway Open presented by Chevron will return to Silverado Resort and Spa this September 25-29 and again feature 44-time PGA TOUR winner and crowd favorite Phil Mickelson, fan favorite Fred Couples and 142 of the best golfers in the world.
The concert series will again be held on the Chevron Stage at Silverado Resort and Spa immediately following completion of the golf tournament rounds featuring country music star Jake Owen on Thursday, legendary rock band Bad Company on Friday and Grammy Award winner Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty on Saturday night. Previous lineups for the Safeway Open Concert Series have included Sammy Hagar, Billy Idol, Young the Giant, Weezer, X Ambassadors, Goo Goo Dolls, Third Eye Blind, Gavin DeGraw and Charles Kelley.
Daily tickets to the Safeway Open PGA TOUR event are on sale now for only $35 and include admission to the Safeway Open Concert Series, as well as the 27,000-square foot Safeway Food and Wine Pavilion featuring prime viewing platforms and many other on-site food, wine, beer and spirits venues. There are NO additional cover charges or upgraded tickets needed for entry into these fan friendly venues on the golf course or the concerts after golf at Silverado.
The event is in its fourth year with Safeway as the title sponsor and hosts many of the best golfers in the world as they compete Thursday through Sunday for a $6.6 million-dollar purse, with $1.188 million to the winner. The player field of 144 golfers has included elite players such as Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm, Matt Kuchar, Justin Thomas, Webb Simpson and Paul Casey.
The Safeway Open Concert Series is sponsored by Smithfield Foods on Thursday night, Aidells and Gallo Salame on Friday night, and Michelob Ultra Pure Gold on Saturday night.
For more information on the Safeway Open presented by Chevron, Safeway Open Concert Series, and to buy tickets, please visit www.safewayopen.com.