As most of us take a midsummer break for the Fourth of July weekend, it’s a good moment to pause and consider where we are and where men’s professional golf is going over the next few weeks and months.
There is plenty to consider, including:
Despite his three-putt bogey on the 72nd hole Sunday to lose the Rocket Mortgage Classic to Cam Davis by one stroke, 22-year-old Akshay Bhatia is on his way to being a star.
The left-hander already is instantly recognizable with his thin frame, his long, dark hair spilling out from beneath his cap and his big eyeglasses, but it’s the way he plays that is separating Bhatia.
Though he let what would have been his second victory of the season slip away on the last green Sunday, Bhatia seems to lean into the moment rather than let it scare him.
“I know how to close a golf tournament,” Bhatia said. “I've done it before; just, today wasn't my day.”
It was what else he said that resonated.
“Just a little bit of nerves, honestly,” Bhatia said. “I'm human.”
Bhatia stands 10th in Presidents Cup points, and finding a spot for him on Jim Furyk’s U.S. team in Montreal in September could be beneficial to Bhatia and the Americans.
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