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12 players to follow in 2022: (2) Akshay Bhatia

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Over the next 12 days, the two presenters on our new ‘Across The Pond’ podcast, Matt Vincenzi and Jason Daniels give their 12 players to follow for 2022 to coincide with the 12 days of Christmas. 

None so far have won on their respective tours, so here’s to a long-term watch and investment!

2. Akshay Bhatia (PGA Tour)

At just 17 years old, Akshay Bhatia decided to forego collegiate golf and turn professional in September 2019.

The North Carolina native won the 2019 Jones Cup and was the No. 1-ranked junior in the country and was the first high-schooler ever to become a member of the winning United States Walker Cup team in 2019. With seemingly endless talent and plenty of power, it made some sense to try his luck professionally.

Unfortunately for Bhatia, his journey in the past few years has not gone as smoothly as his beautiful golf swing. Although Bhatia has used sponsors exemptions to make eighteen PGA Tour starts thus far in his career, including a top ten finish at the Fortinet Championship; he failed to earn one of the 25 PGA Tour cards offered at the 2020 Korn Ferry Finals. He played his way into the event via non-member FedExCup points.

The COVID-19 pandemic also had quite an impact on the teenager who was trying to scrape and claw his way onto the PGA Tour. In March, Bhatia finished in the top 40 of qualifying for Canada’s Mackenzie Tour to earn conditional status, but the start of that circuit’s season was postponed due to the pandemic. He also was scheduled to play in the Hero Indian Open in March on a sponsor’s invite before the European Tour (now DP World Tour) canceled that tournament.

Despite the few setbacks, there were some highlights last year for the now 19-year-old. Akshay was able to qualify for the 2021 U.S. Open and made the cut, finishing tied for 57th at Torrey Pines. He also won three mini-tour events in 2020-2021, flashing the talent that made him such a highly regarded prospect.

Just this week, Bhatia won in a playoff on the Florida Elite Tour, winning $50,000.

Still a teenager, Bhatia has plenty of time to prove his talent. He has said in the past he is using his first few seasons as a professional as his “college”, and is taking all of the difficulties in stride as he develops as a golfer. His raw talent should allow for him to take a giant leap forward in 2022, and will surely have many accomplishments beyond this season.

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19th Hole

TaylorMade signs 15-year-old AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year to an NIL contract

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This week, TaylorMade Golf announced that they’ve signed AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year, Miles Russell, to an NIL contract.

In a statement, TaylorMade called Russell “nothing short of remarkable”.

“Miles’ record setting success at his young age is nothing short of remarkable and we are excited he chose us to support him in his growth as a golfer to continue to accomplish his career goals. Identifying and developing the top junior talent in the world has always been a priority for us at TaylorMade. Miles and his family epitomize the type of athlete and human being we are looking to add to Team TaylorMade.”

Russell has broken plenty of records in recent months. This season, he was named American Junior Golf Association’s Rolex Boys Player of the Year, making him the youngest male player to receive the award. The record was previously held by Tiger Woods who was about 10 months older than Russell at the time he received the award.

At age 14, J he became the youngest player ever to win the Junior PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass at age 14.

The 15-year-old also played in his first Korn Ferry Tour event on Thursday, the LECOM Suncoast Classic, and shot a first-round 68.

In the aftermath of the agreement, Russell released a statement.

“I have had a great relationship with the team at TaylorMade for years now and couldn’t be more excited to continue to work with them in the future. TaylorMade has a history of developing the top junior talent in the world to help reach their goals of becoming PGA TOUR and major championship winners. I am looking forward to working with the team to reach those and other goals I have laid out for my career.”

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Group of PGA Tour caddies sign endorsement deal with underwear company

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In an interesting turn of events, a group of PGA Tour caddies have signed an endorsement deal with an underwear company.

Geno Bonnalie (Joel Dahmen), Aaron Flener (J.T. Poston), John Limanti (Akshay Bhatia) and Joel Stock (Will Zalatoris) and John Ellis (Wyndham Clark) have signed a deal with the underwear brand, SAXX.

Here are some details about the endorsement deal:

  • The deal eclipses six figures in total value, extending what last year marked the first significant apparel agreement with a group of pro caddies. Of note, Geno and John Ellis appeared in the Netflix docuseries, Full Swing.
  • The caddies will wear SAXX underwear, shorts and polos on and off the course.
  • SAXX will donate $100 to the Testicular Cancer Foundation for every birdie made by the caddies’ players for the rest of the season.
  • SAXX will bring the Ball Masters to the masses at the Travelers Championship, hosting a fan activation with underwear giveaways, photo opportunities, appearances from the Ball Masters and more.
  • Fans can become an honorary Ball Master, which includes a year’s worth of underwear, among other things. Go to SAXX.com/ball-master-application from now until June 15 to enter.

The partnership is great for the caddies and also represents a great cause.

Check out the video they shared on YouTube:

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Man charged with stealing millions of dollars worth of memorabilia from Augusta National

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Augusta National

According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, a man has been charged in Chicago with stealing millions of dollars’ worth of memorabilia from Augusta National.

The man, Robert Globensky, was charged with transporting the memorabilia across state lines.

The report states that between 2009 and 2022, Globensky allegedly transported “millions of dollars’ worth of Masters golf tournament merchandise and historical memorabilia” from Augusta National “and transported to Tampa, Florida, knowing the same had been stolen, converted and taken by fraud.”

The document was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Per the court records there is no mention that Globensky worked for the golf club.

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