Get to know Akshay Bhatia, the 21-year-old lefty from NC who has Quail Hollow buzzing
Akshay Bhatia slapped an iron from the ninth fairway, staring it down as it approached his final green of the day, when one of his playing partners spoke up.
“Get there!” Brent Grant said with a muted enthusiasm.
The ball flew roughly 150 yards and nestled pin-high, about 10 feet from the cup.
Grant added: “That was beautiful.”
It was in moments like these on Friday, the second round of the Wells Fargo Championship at the idyllic Quail Hollow course in Charlotte, where a bystander could sense why Bhatia is considered a budding star in the sport: It’s hard not to root for him.
Bhatia is the 21-year-old lefty you might have heard of. The Raleigh resident was a teenage phenom who elected to forgo high-level college golf and turn pro at 17.
He’s 6-foot-1. Wiry. He wears skinny pants that fashionably cut off above the ankles, and his hair is so long that it needs to be tamed by a Callaway hat.
His game is equally youthful. On Friday, he hunched over putts like he was a tall microbiologist squinting into a microscope and left onlookers who watched him on most tee boxes stunned in wonder: Where does all that power come from?
Bhatia eagled the drivable par-4 14th to pull within the cut line. He notched a second eagle in as many holes at the par-5 15th. Then, for good measure, he took off his shoes and socks to play from the water on 18.
It all amounted to a 2-under-par 69 (1-under for the tournament) that should be just enough for Bhatia to play into the weekend Quail Hollow.
So, what did the golfer make of his day?
“Weird, man,” Bhatia told The Charlotte Observer with a toothy smile. “I mean, I made two eagles in a row, which has never happened in my life. And then made a lot of bad bogeys, made some nice birdies. So it was OK. I’m not too pleased, but you know, I got two more days to do something.”
Bhatia added: “I want to be in contention, not just kind of just getting in the cut. But this place is awesome. It’s a treat for me, especially being from North Carolina. I’m just happy to be here because I should not be here. I should be on the Korn Ferry Tour, and my life’s changed a lot. So it’s nice.”
It’s true. Bhatia’s life has changed a lot this year.
After a few up-and-down years as a pro, Bhatia has made strides in 2023. He finished with a runner-up finish at Puerto Rico in March, which earned him special temporary membership on the PGA Tour and gave him unlimited sponsor exemptions for the rest of the season.
Bhatia backed that up with a solo fourth-place finish last week at the Mexican Open, playing in the final group on Sunday with world No. 1 Jon Rahm and eventual champion Tony Finau.
After a solid round on Friday, he’s eyeing another chance to contend.
“It’s a tough golf course,” Bhatia said. “I mean, the leader’s not even at 10-under. So you know, you shoot a 6 or 7 (under), you have a really good round tomorrow — which is possible out here — you can put yourself in contention to have a chance on Sunday.
“I had that last week. I had a chance to win on Sunday, and it was the best feeling in the world.”
That Bhatia should hang around into the weekend is befitting. He grew up idolizing fellow left-hander Phil Mickelson. Mickelson loved Quail Hollow — a place that, in 2018, he ranked second in all-time tournament money earned at the course behind only Rory McIlroy.
The course doesn’t necessarily favor lefties, Bhatia explained, but the course does suit his style — just like it suited Mickelson’s once upon a time.
“It’s a ball-striker’s golf course,” he said. “And stats have been very high on ball-striking for me. I’ve had some issues this week. You know, I’ve had some weird issues this week where it tested non-conforming, and it’s been a little bit of a search the last two days. I mean, I used two different drivers from yesterday and today, and I’ve just struggled really bad off the tee, and I’m normally really confident off the tee.
“Gaining strokes is a big asset to me as far as tee balls approaching the green, and then if I’m playing well then I can post a nice score. But the driver has just been all over the place. It’s a little frustrating, but you know, it’s part of this.”
But another “part of this” — in the life and story of Bhatia — was apparent on Friday.
Just as Bhatia weaved between the practice putting green and the first tee box, a fan tried to get his attention.
“Hey Akshay! I saw you when you played in high school!” they said.
The 21-year-old golfer laughed and responded with a technicality: “That can’t be true because I didn’t play in high school.”
Bhatia then teed off and set out to play his second nine of the day. He wore a smile that will only grow wider should his exciting play find more consistency during the final two days at Quail Hollow, and like he has before, he left the crowd buzzing around him.
