Bhatia makes pro debut at Sanderson Farms with Callaway clubs

September 19, 2019 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

Akshay Bhatia (USGA photo)

The 17-year-old Walker Cupper starts his professional career as a Callaway staffer at Sanderson Farms.

At the end of the Walker Cup earlier this month, five men raised their hands in the post-round interview when asked who on the American team was turning professional. That included the youngest member of the team, 17-year-old Akshay Bhatia.

This isn’t a surprise, considering that Bhatia, of Wake Forest, N.C., long ago announced that college wasn’t for him and that he’d be pursuing a professional career as soon as it made sense.

When Bhatia makes his debut as a professional this week in the PGA Tour’s Sanderson Farms Championship, he’ll do it as a Callaway staffer, according to PGA Tour writer Andrew Tursky.

“Akshay is one of the most prolific amateurs the golf world has seen in a long time, and we’re thrilled to have him join our Professional TOUR Staff,” said Tim Reed, Senior Vice President of Global Sports Marketing at Callaway Golf, in a press release. “He has all the tools to compete at a high level, he’s mature beyond his years, and we’re confident that he is going to have a lot of success using our equipment. We’re fortunate to have so many impressive young players on our staff, and we look forward to working with Akshay for many years to come.”

Bhatia, a left-handed player, ended his junior career as the top-ranked player in the Golfweek Junior Rankings. He won the Jones Cup in February, his first major amateur golf title, which earned him an exemption into the RSM Championship to be played in November.

Bhatia made his first PGA Tour start, as an amateur, in March at the Valspar Championship, but missed the cut. He Monday qualified for the Korn Ferry Tour’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Championship in Alabama, where he made the cut.

Most Popular Articles

Meet the Amateurs in the 2026 Masters: Six Different Paths to Augusta National

Apr 8, 2026From teenage phenoms to seasoned dreamers, the amateur class at the 2026 Masters brings six compelling stories to Augusta

Masters: Memorable performances by amateurs in the last 40 years

Apr 2, 2026A Mid-Amateur legend and a 14 year old have won low-amateur honors at Augusta National over the years

U.S. Open Qualifying 2026: Local & Final Qualifying Sites for Shinnecock

Apr 8, 2026The road to Shinnecock Hills begins in April as 110 local qualifying sites and 13 final qualifying venues are set.

Masters 2026: Amateur Tracker Ends at Augusta as Rory McIlroy Surges Into the Lead

Apr 10, 2026All six amateurs missed the cut at the 2026 Masters, where Rory McIlroy seized control at 12-under and a dramatic Friday

2026 Augusta National Women's Amateur: Full Field Preview, Favorites & How to Watch

Mar 30, 202648 of the top 50 players in the world. Two past champions. One teenager who lost by a single stroke last year.

Filters

Loading latest news...

Loading article...