Akshay Bhatia Explained

Akshay Bhatia
Birth Date:31 January 2002
Birth Place:Northridge, California, U.S.
Weight:130lb
Residence:Wake Forest, North Carolina, U.S.
Yearpro:2019
Tour:PGA Tour
Extour:Korn Ferry Tour
PGA Tour Canada
Prowins:6
Pgawins:2
Eurowins:1
Nwidewins:1
Otherwins:3
Masters:T35: 2024
Usopen:T16: 2024
Open:CUT: 2024
Pga:CUT: 2024

Akshay Bhatia (born January 31, 2002)[1] is an American professional golfer. He made his first PGA Tour start in 2019 at the age of 17 after receiving a sponsor exemption into Valspar Championship.[2] He turned pro later that year and made his professional debut at Sanderson Farms Championship that fall.[3]

A decorated amateur, Bhatia has represented the United States at the Junior Presidents Cup in 2017, Junior Ryder Cup in 2018, and Walker Cup in 2019, becoming the youngest and first ever high schooler to represent the United States in the event.[4] He has also represented the United States at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, winning two silver medals.[5] Bhatia made the finals of the Drive, Chip & Putt competition at Augusta National in 2014 and became its first ever finalist to reach the Masters Tournament by virtue of his win at the Valero Texas Open in 2024.[6]

Early life

Bhatia was born in Northridge, California to parents Sonny and Renu. Bhatia's parents are from India and lived in Delhi before moving to the United States. The family moved to Wake Forest, North Carolina in 2011.[7] [8] Bhatia has two sisters, Rhea, who played college golf at Queen's University of Charlotte,[9] and Nikitta, who lives in Texas with husband and two daughters.

Amateur career

He was runner-up at the 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur, losing to Michael Thorbjornsen in the final.[10] He won two silver medals at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in the boy's individual and the mixed team with Lucy Li. He played on the Junior Presidents Cup team in 2017 and Junior Ryder Cup in 2018, with both teams winning.[11]

Bhatia made his PGA Tour debut at the 2019 Valspar Championship on a sponsor exemption and missed the cut.[12]

Bhatia made his Web.com Tour debut on April 18, 2019, at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Championship,[13] where he made the cut and finished T-42.

Professional career

Bhatia turned professional in September 2019 after competing in the 2019 Walker Cup, and made his professional debut at the Sanderson Farms Championship.[14]

On August 5, 2020, Bhatia won the ST 11 @ Old South Golf, an event on the Swing Thought Tour, by three strokes.[15] On February 25, 2021, Bhatia won his second Swing Thought Tour event, ST 12 @ Brunswick, in a playoff.[16] [17] On May 29, Bhatia won the 2021 Biggs Classic, a GProTour event.[18] [19]

In June 2021, Bhatia qualified for the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. He made the cut and finished tied for 57th in his first major championship appearance.[20]

In January 2022, Bhatia won The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour. This was his first start as a member of the Korn Ferry Tour.[21] Despite the strong start, Bhatia fell short of earning a PGA Tour card, finishing 30th during the regular season and not making a cut during the Finals.

Bhatia earned Special Temporary Member status on the PGA Tour after a runner-up finish at the 2023 Puerto Rico Open.[22]

In July 2023, he earned his first PGA Tour and first European Tour victory by winning in a playoff at the Barracuda Championship.[23]

In April 2024, Bhatia won the Valero Texas Open in a playoff over Denny McCarthy.[24]

Amateur wins

Source:[25]

Professional wins (6)

PGA Tour wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory		Runner-up
1Jul 23, 2023Barracuda Championship140 pts (6-8-17-9=40)Playoff Patrick Rodgers
2Apr 7, 2024Valero Texas Open−20 (63-70-68-67=268)Playoff Denny McCarthy
1Co-sanctioned by the European Tour

PGA Tour playoff record (2–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
12023Barracuda Championship Patrick RodgersWon with par on first extra hole
22024Valero Texas Open Denny McCarthyWon with birdie on first extra hole

Swing Thought Tour wins (2)

GProTour wins (1)

Results in major championships

Tournament2021202220232024
Masters TournamentT35
PGA ChampionshipCUT
U.S. OpenT57 T16
The Open ChampionshipCUT
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied

U.S. national team appearances

2017 (winners)

2018 (winners)

2019 (winners)

Source:[25]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Five things you should know about Akshay Bhatia . PGA Tour . March 21, 2019.
  2. 2019-03-20 . Akshay Bhatia, 17, full of swagger and set for PGA Tour debut at Valspar . 2024-04-08 . Golfweek.
  3. Web site: Akshay Bhatia turns pro, signs equipment deal with Callaway . PGA Tour . September 17, 2019 . 2024-04-08.
  4. Web site: 2019-07-24 . Hammer, Bhatia, Hagestad named to U.S. Walker Cup team . 2024-04-08 . NBC Sports.
  5. Web site: 2023-02-01 . Akshay Bhatia turns 21 at The Panama Championship . 2024-04-08 . www.usagolf.org.
  6. Web site: Fields . Bill . April 7, 2024 . Bhatia Becomes First From Drive, Chip and Putt Finals to Reach Masters . April 8, 2024 . Masters.com.
  7. Web site: Giglio . Joe . Meet North Carolina Junior Golfer Akshay Bhatia . WALTER Magazine . 1 July 2024.
  8. Web site: Of a promise to mom, and skipping college for clubs: Akshay Bhatia’s golfing journey . . 3 July 2024 . 8 April 2024.
  9. Web site: Armstrong . Mark . 17-year-old golf phenom from Wake Forest draws strength from his family . . 1 July 2024 . 13 August 2019.
  10. Web site: Lipsky . Scott . July 21, 2018 . Thorbjornsen Wins Dramatic Final in 36 Holes . April 8, 2024 . USGA.
  11. Web site: Akshay Bhatia profile . https://web.archive.org/web/20181130103235/https://www.teamusa.org/usa-golf/athletes/Akshay-Bhatia . dead . November 30, 2018 . Team USA . March 25, 2019.
  12. News: Amateur Bhatia excited to battle pros at Valspar Championship . Golf Channel . March 21, 2019.
  13. Web site: Melton . Zephyr . No. 1-ranked junior golfer Akshay Bhatia to make Web.com Tour debut in Alabama . PGA Tour . April 17, 2019.
  14. As Akshay Bhatia makes his PGA Tour debut, how 10 other high school prodigies fared when turning pro . Golf Digest . Joel . Beall . September 17, 2019.
  15. Web site: ST 11 @ Old South Golf . September 7, 2020.
  16. Web site: Davis . Derrick . Young Blood : 19-year-old Bhatia continues ascent in SwingThought Tour at Brunswick Country Club . The Brunswick News . 9 May 2021 . 25 February 2021.
  17. Web site: ST Competition Results 2021 : ST12 @ Brunswick . 9 May 2021.
  18. Web site: Winkler . Adam . Akshay Bhatia wins 2021 Biggs Classic in Hertford, NC . . 19 June 2021 . 30 May 2021.
  19. Web site: 2021 Biggs Classic . GProTour . 19 June 2021.
  20. Web site: Rapaport . Daniel . The 9 most intriguing stories from U.S. Open Final Qualifying . Golf Digest . 20 June 2021 . 8 June 2021.
  21. 19-year-old Akshay Bhatia claims his first Korn Ferry Tour win at season opener in the Bahamas . Golf Digest . Christopher . Powers . January 19, 2022 . January 21, 2022.
  22. Web site: Akshay Bhatia earns Special Temporary Membership with runner-up at Puerto Rico Open . PGA Tour . Kevin . Prise . March 5, 2023.
  23. News: Akshay Bhatia, 21, wins his first PGA Tour title at the Barracuda Championship . Associated Press News . July 23, 2023 . July 24, 2023.
  24. News: Bhatia loses 6-shot lead and wins Texas Open in a playoff. The next stop is the Masters . Associated Press News . 7 April 2024 . 7 April 2024.
  25. Web site: Akshay Bhatia . World Amateur Golf Ranking . March 25, 2019.

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