4. Akshay Bhatia tries to fast-track it from junior golf to PGA Tour
Few 17-year-olds can declare plans to skip college and instead turn professional and have that statement taken seriously. Akshay Bhatia is in that small category of individuals.
Bhatia had a level of talent and dedication that allowed him to fast-track his way to the PGA Tour. He turned professional in September – days after his turn as the youngest member of a U.S. Walker Cup team in history – but has yet to make a cut in a PGA Tour event as a professional.
Bhatia put together an all-time summer of golf in 218, winning four major junior events (Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, Polo Golf Junior Classic, Junior PGA Championship, Rolex Tournament of Champions) and finishing runner-up in five more (including the U.S. Junior). Throughout that process, he also continually played Monday qualifiers for Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour events. It taught him to make birdies in droves.
Bhatia certainly relished his days on the junior circuit and grew from them.
“It does push you to play good golf,” he said. “You can’t come out playing sloppy to win.”