PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Akshay Bhatia addressed questions about the legality of his putting stroke Friday, responding to social media scrutiny during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am where he shares the lead with Ryo Hisatsune.
The controversy arose from a post on Instagram featuring Bhatia using his long putter, prompting a user to question whether he was “anchoring” the club – a technique restricted by the USGA and R&A since January 1, 2016. The rule prohibits anchoring the club directly against the body or indirectly through an “anchor point” using the forearm.
Bhatia responded to the post, stating, “Not anchoring. Literally 2 inches short of my chest haha.”
Bhatia shot a 64 at Spyglass Hill on Friday, building on his first-round score at Pebble Beach. His performance included 71 feet of putts made on Friday and 59 feet on Thursday, according to data reported by KSBW. Hisatsune opened with a 62 at Pebble Beach and followed with a 67.
The two golfers are at 15-under 129, the lowest 36-hole score since the tournament moved to a two-course rotation in 2024, according to the PGA Tour.
Rickie Fowler and Sam Burns are one shot behind the leaders, while Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player, is nine shots back after a 66 on Friday. Scheffler acknowledged a slow start to the year, stating, “I’d say ‘inched’ would be the operative word there,” but remains optimistic, adding, “You’re never out of it.”
Bhatia, who missed the cut in his first two events of the year before tying for third at the WM Phoenix Open, attributed his recent improvement to adjustments in his golf swing and putting, as well as a growing rapport with his caddie, Joe Greiner. “Joe and I are still really fresh, which is really hard for me to think about sometimes because we have such a good kind of bond, I guess,” Bhatia said. “So we’re still getting to know each other, he’s still getting to know my game, but we’re starting to kind of mesh together where when we walk up to a shot, we’re kind of on the same page all the time.”
The tournament has as well drawn attention due to speculation about a potential appearance by Taylor Swift, fiancé of competitor Travis Kelce, though she did not attend, according to the Associated Press.
