Bhatia closed eagle-birdie-birdie for an eight-under 62 to shade Englishman Tommy Fleetwood in the opening round of the PGA Tour play-offs in Memphis.
World No.1 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 entered the FedEx Cup play-offs in 45th spot, with only the top 50 advancing to the second of three tournaments in the lucrative post-season. The idea is to be among the top 30 who reach East Lake for a shot at the $10 million ($A15 million) bonus.
The American was paired with Englishman Harry Hall, 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 fired a short iron into two feet on 18.
Bhatia, who had his career-best round, said he had 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 also carded 64s 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 fairways, 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.
Projections can fluctuate with shots from anyone on any part of the course. Rickie Fowler 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.Â
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 $20m ($A30.6m) Signature events for next year.
Needing a top-14 finish to progress, Cam Davis is the leading Australian in a tie for 27th after opening with a one-under 69.
That elevated Davis from 69th to 64th in the live standings.
Jason Day blew a fine start to his round, going four over on the back nine after negotiating the front nine in three under to slump to a 71.
The former world No.1 is still likely to advance to the BMW Championship.
But Min Woo Lee has ground to make up following an equal-worst-in-the-field first-round 76 that pushed him outside the top 50 in the live FedEx Cup standings.
With AAP
