Akshay Bhatia was the top junior in the country at age 17 when he made his PGA Tour debut in the Valspar Championship. That was four years ago. He returns next week as a special temporary member on the PGA Tour.
Bhatia closed with a 65 in the Puerto Rico Open to finish alone in second, earning enough points to get temporary membership. That means he gets unlimited sponsor exemptions as he tries to earn a PGA Tour card.
He turned pro in September 2019 at 17. He turned 21 two months ago. It still feels like a long journey, and he got choked up after finishing in Puerto Rico.
“I can’t believe I’m crying,” he said during his TV interview at Grand Reserve. “It means a lot. I’ve worked really hard. It’s been a crazy journey for sure.”
