TWO-TIME WINNER AKSHAY BHATIA WILL TEAM WITH CARSON YOUNG IN ZURICH CLASSIC

They join Masters champ Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry who will defend their title

 NEW ORLEANS, LA (April 17, 2025)—Rising young star Akshay Bhatia will pair with Carson Young for the 2025 Zurich Classic announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament. Recognizable for his rail-thin build, Bhatia has climbed into the top 30 in the world.

“This is another promising young pair,” Worthy said. “Akshay has two wins on the PGA Tour and has Walker Cup team experience, and Carson has shown some strong play over the last year.  They should be fun to watch,” added Worthy.

Newly crowned Masters champion Rory McIlroy, second in the world rankings and first in FedExCup points, has teamed again with Shane Lowry, ranked 15^th in the world, to defend their title in this year’s Zurich Classic. They will be joined by Collin Morikawa, fourth in both world ranking and FedExCup points, playing with Kurt Kitayama in the event April 24-27.

Once the youngest U.S. Walker Cup player in history, Bhatia ranks 26^th  in the world and has already won twice in his brief PGA Tour career that began fulltime in 2023. Both his victories came in playoffs, the 2024 Valero Texas Open against Denny McCarthy and the 2023 Barracuda Championship over Patrick Rogers.

So far this year he has posted three top 10 finishes, the best a tie for third in The Players Championship.

In addition to his second PGA Tour victory last year, he also tied for fifth in the Traveler’s Championship and tied for second in the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Prior to winning the 2023 Barracuda Championship in his first full season on the PGA Tour, he posted a solo second in the Puerto Rico Open, a solo fourth in the Mexico Open and a tie for ninth in the Barbasol Championship the week before his victory.

Bhatia was a member of the 2019 Walker Cup team that defeated Great Britain and Ireland 15 ½ to 10 ½ after trailing 7 ½ to 8 ½ going into the final day singles, when they won eight of the 10 matches played.

He was the youngest member of that U.S. team. At 17 years old and still a senior in high school he became the youngest and first high school student ever to represent the U.S. in the Walker Cup. At the time he was fifth in the world amateur rankings.

He also represented the U.S. on the  Junior Presidents Cup in 2017, the Junior Ryder Cup in 2018 and the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics where he won two silver medals.

Carson Young earned his PGA Tour card for the 2023 season and posted two top-10 finishes and eight top-25 finishes in his first full season.

Last year he was runner-up by a single stroke in the World Wide Technology Championship. His second-place finish in that tournament capped a promising season that recorded six top-25 finishes, of which three were in the top 10.

This year his best finish has been a tie for 10^th in the Puerto Rico Open.

As an amateur, he played for Clemson University for four years and turned pro after completing his college career. He won the South Carolina Amateur in 2013 and repeated as champion in 2016. He also won the individual state championship back-to-back in his junior and senior years in high school.

About Fore!Kids Foundation:

 Since 1958, the Fore!Kids Foundation has raised money to fund children’s service organizations through golf events like the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and several charitable golf tournaments.

In 2024, the Fore!Kids Foundation generated a record $3.3 million in charitable giving for children’s charities in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge metro areas. Charitable contributions have been rising in recent years:

• $3.3 million in 2024
• Over $22.9 Million to charities in last 10 years
• Over $51 Million to charities since inception

More information at http://www.forekidsfoundation.com.