Akshay Bhatia entered the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic tied for the lead with Aaron Rai.
Despite a rough start, where his tee shot on the 13th hole only went 97 yards after hitting a tree, Bhatia kept fighting at Detroit Golf Club. He managed to stay in contention by going out in one-under 35.
This drive from Akshay Bhatia only went 97 yards. His first missed fairway of the day was a big miss, but he bounced back to save par and remains tied for the lead pic.twitter.com/J7imP2RbPJ
This drive from Akshay Bhatia only went 97 yards.
His first missed fairway of the day was a big miss, but he bounced back to save par and remains tied for the lead 👏
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR)
Bhatia made two birdies and one bogey on the front nine. Pars on holes 10, 11, and 12 kept him at 18-under for the tournament, sharing the lead with Cam Davis. On Sunday’s ninth hardest hole, he aimed for a fade off the tee but hit a tree instead .
Final Round Drama:
His ball ended up in rough terrain just 97 yards away. Yet, showing no emotion despite being only 22 years old, he used a wood to get back onto fairway within striking distance of the flag. Fans might think this shows his resilience under pressure.
With a wedge shot next, Bhatia faced an eight-foot putt which he nailed successfully! This crucial putt not only kept him at 18-under but also gave him an edge when Davis had some bad luck on hole number fourteen.
Bhatia during this intense final round showed great composure (Image credit: Getty Images).
What do you think? Can young players like Bhatia handle such pressure well?
