Three-time PGA Tour winner and Hero brand ambassador Akshay Bhatia at an interaction with the media at DLF Golf and Country Club on Tuesday. Image courtesy Hero Indian Open.
By Rahul Banerji
Akshay Bhatia has won three times since earning full playing rights on the PGA Tour in 2023, and each of the victories have come in playoffs.
In 2023, the 24-year-old beat Patrick Rogers for the Barracuda Championship title. The following year, he outlasted Denny McCarthy at the Texas Open despite a late charge from the latter.
Earlier this month, the lanky left-hander got the better of Daniel Berger in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, which begs the question, does Bhatia need pressure to bring out his best?
Speaking to the media ahead of the 2026 Hero Indian Open, where as the world’s 22nd-ranked player he is the top draw, Bhatia was candid in his assessment of such situations.
“I’m not too sure, honestly. I think my first win, I finished before Patrick Rogers and made a putt to even have a chance, and then obviously a little fortunate there to win.
“At the Valero Texas Open, I was leading by a ton and then Denny McCarthy birdied eight of the last nine (and)… I had to make a putt to get into the playoff.
“I think when I apply that pressure, I think it takes some sort of wind out of their sails. Arnold Palmer was an interesting one because I was never leading the golf tournament until 18, then we got into a playoff.
Applying pressure
“But I think I just apply pressure consistently. Again, the cards have to fall my way. Part of it is luck, and part of it is the pressure that I was able to put on each of those players.”
So what does he think of the prospect of taking on the likes of Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, both in red-hot form, going into the Masters Championship at Augusta National next month?
“It’s always great to see those guys again. Jon and I have a great relationship and he’s been playing great, which is not a surprise.
“Bryson, obviously winning the last couple of weeks is not a surprise as well. So, yeah, it’s fun to compete against those guys when we can. And, I look forward to kind of seeing everyone.”
About the Hero Indian Open, which mark his first outing as a professional golfer despite family ties to Delhi, where his parents come from, Bhatia said he was looking forward to the experience. “I’m very excited. This was supposed to happen in 2020 but Covid happened and the trip didn’t.
“But really happy to be here for the first time. Really excited. The course looks very difficult from what I’ve seen. And I just really look forward to being here and exploring some of Delhi.
Indian heritage
“(This is) a place that obviously means a lot to us. Just being on the PGA Tour now and to be Indian heritage and to compete and have a lot of fans based here is really cool.
“Dr. (Pawan) Munjal (of Hero MotoCorp) has been amazing to us, to my family, and a great relationship that we’ve built over the last couple years since I turned pro. Hopefully he’ll be able to give me a couple of points about this course.
“I’ve watched so many highlights of this event, how hard the golf course is. Last year having (defending champion) Eugenio (Chacarra) finish under par and then level par was maybe like fifth or sixth, so it’s pretty interesting.
“(It) seems conditions can change this course a lot. A lot of tough holes, seems like. You have to be very strategic, and I think it’s great.
“Seventeen being a signature hole and then walking by 18 today seeing that challenge, how far uphill it looks from the green up to the fairway. So again, very happy to be here.
“Didn’t know that I’d ever get to experience this as a 24 year old. So very blessed to be in this position to play this tournament, in India’s National Open.”
Also read: Hero Indian Open will see array of world-ranked talent in action
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