Golfer Akshay Bhatia Faces Unusual Situation on 17th Hole at Rocket Mortgage Classic

During the second round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, golfer Akshay Bhatia faced an unusual situation on the 17th hole. His ball disappeared down a drain in the fairway, causing a moment of confusion for him and his fellow players. In a video posted by the PGA Tour, Bhatia humorously identified his ball at the bottom of the drain as a Callaway, the brand he uses.

Fortunately, Bhatia was able to relocate his ball with the help of a rules official without needing to treat it as a lost ball. This allowed him to avoid replaying the previous stroke and continue on with the hole. The young American golfer ended up finishing the par-5 hole with a par, maintaining his momentum despite the mishap.

Bhatia didn’t let the drain incident affect his game, managing to card five birdies and shoot a 67 in the second round. With a lead going into the final two rounds of the tournament and a cumulative score of -13, he has a good chance of securing his third career PGA Tour win since turning professional in 2019. The Rocket Mortgage Classic boasts a significant purse of $9,200,000, making it a lucrative opportunity for golfers like Bhatia to showcase their skills and potentially earn a substantial prize. With his determination and skill on the course, Bhatia looks poised to make a strong finish in the tournament.