Golf star Akshay Bhatia is receiving support from fellow professionals after some golf fans questioned the legality of his putting technique following his dramatic victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 24-year-old golfer secured his third PGA Tour title with a playoff win over Daniel Berger at Bay Hill, sealing the victory with a par on the first extra hole at the par-4 18th after Berger missed a long putt and made bogey. The win earned Bhatia the $4-million first prize from the $20-million signature event and pushed him up to second place in the season-long FedEx Cup standings behind Collin Morikawa ahead of the upcoming Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. The victory also moved Bhatia to a career-best 19th in the world rankings.
Despite the impressive performance, much of the online discussion during the final round focused on Bhatia’s putting stroke rather than his scorecard. Some viewers on social media suggested he might be anchoring his broom-handle putter against his chest, a technique banned under Rule 14-1b introduced in 2016 by the United States Golf Association and the The R&A. The rule prohibits players from bracing the club against their body or creating a fixed anchor point during a stroke, although long putters themselves remain legal. Images circulating online, including one showing a crease in Bhatia’s shirt near his upper hand on the putter, led some fans to speculate that the club might have been touching his body.
Bhatia quickly dismissed the allegations, insisting his putting stroke fully complies with the rules. Responding to a post on social media, he said the putter remains several inches away from his chest and denied anchoring it against his body. Fellow tour professional Michael Kim also came to Bhatia’s defence, saying that among players on tour the issue is not considered a concern. Kim noted that in person the putter is clearly not anchored and suggested the controversy has largely been amplified by repeated screenshots circulating on social media.
For now, the debate appears to be limited mostly to online speculation, as no officials or fellow competitors have raised formal concerns about Bhatia’s technique. With the win at Bay Hill and strong putting performance throughout the tournament, Bhatia continues to build momentum heading into the next major events on the PGA Tour schedule.