For those who have followed Akshay Bhatia’s decorated golf career, the fact that the 22-year-old phenom captured his second PGA Tour title on Sunday — earning his first berth into a major tournament — might come as no surprise.
But the way Bhatia won, bludgeoning most of the field along the way and then outlasting a wily veteran in a playoff? That certainly might have the golf world doing a collective double-take.
Bhatia finished off one of the most impressive and improbable wire-to-wire victories in recent memory, fending off a heroic charge by runner-up Denny McCarthy on Sunday afternoon, and finding his way into the winner’s circle at the TPC San Antonio Oaks Course.
McCarthy forced a playoff with an incredible string of eight birdies in the final nine holes, and after he buried a seventh straight birdie putt it appeared he might be poised for his first PGA Tour victory.
Bhatia responded with a huge birdie putt of his own on the 18th hole, and then watched as McCarthy made a surprising and fatal mistake by chunking a wedge from 99 yards out on the playoff hole and splashing it into a creek.
Winning is hard.
Denny McCarthy has found the water from 99 yards out on the first playoff hole. pic.twitter.com/41GpsUEvEZ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 7, 2024
Adding a little more drama, Bhatia then asked for his shoulder to be taped up by a trainer before his approach on the playoff hole, telling those on hand that he pulled it out of its socket during a fist-pump celebration.
Bhatia has won at every level and Saturday marked the 10th anniversary of his appearance at the Drive, Chip & Putt at Augusta National, where he finished sixth in the 12-13 age category.
At the ripe age of 15, Bhatia won the 2017 Junior PGA Championship, breaking a course record at the Country Club of St. Albans, and cruising to a three-stroke victory. He added a number of major junior events a year later, including the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and the Rolex Tournament of Champions.
Akshay Bhatia talks with his caddie before teeing off at the first hole during the final round of the Valero Texas Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
He later became the third-youngest player to win a Korn Ferry Tour event, when he took home the title at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic, with only Sungjae Im and Jason Day doing so at a younger age.
None of this has fazed Bhatia, who continues to work hard, keep his nose to the grindstone and focus on the next major hurdle.
“I’m just true to myself. I’ve never had an easy life growing up, so anytime anyone sees that, oh, this kid’s making a ton of money, he’s playing on the PGA Tour, he’s won on the PGA Tour, that’s just not it,” Bhatia said after his third round of play, “There’s so much more to it than just the golf. For guys coming up from PGA Tour U or Nick Dunlap, for instance, winning on the PGA Tour, like there’s going to be a lot for them to learn and hopefully being peers with them, it kind of can help them along the way and kind of grow up faster.”
Bhatia acted like a veteran in the latter stages on Sunday, as he had a four-stroke lead heading into Sunday, pushed that advantage to six after the fourth hole, but then watched as McCarthy put on an impressive display on the back nine at the Greg Norman-designed course.
Denny McCarthy hits a tee shot on the tenth hole during the final round of the Valero Texas Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
McCarthy’s birdie barrage started just after the turn as he knocked off strokes on Nos. 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 to pull within one.
On the 17th, a drivable par-4, McCarthy missed right in the rough, while Bhatia dropped his in a bunker off to the right side of the hole. Both players put their second shots to within five feet, but Bhatia missed his putt, marking the first time in 52 times during the tournament that he missed from that distance.
Both players made birdies on the 18th hole, then Bhatia capitalized on McCarthy’s playoff miscue to take the $1.65 million first prize and the final spot in the 2024 Masters.