The Los Angeles Post
U.S. World Business Lifestyle
Today: March 31, 2025
Today: March 31, 2025

Akshay Bhatia's golf ball falls into a fairway drain, leading to an unusual free drop

Rocket Mortgage Classic Golf
June 28, 2024
LARRY LAGE - AP

DETROIT (AP) โ€” Akshay Bhatia had a hole-in-one of sorts when his golf ball fell into a hole in a fairway drain at Detroit Golf Club in the second round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic on Friday.

Bhatia's 315-yard drive on the 579-yard, par-5 17th hole ended up underground after it made its way into one of five holes in the drain that were just big enough for a golf ball to fall into.

โ€œFairly certain that's a Callaway at the bottom,โ€ Bhatia told a PGA Tour rules official.

Bhatia got a free drop and a memorable moment. He ended up making par on the way to a 5-under 67 that put him atop the leaderboard at 13 under among the early finishers.

โ€œThat was wild,โ€ Bhatia said. โ€œNo, never seen it. Rules official (had) never seen it.

"It was kind of one-in-a-million chance that ball goes in that small hole in that drain. So, it was pretty funny.โ€

The 22-year-old Bhatia picked up his second PGA Tour victory at the Texas Open in April. He tied for fifth last week at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, where he was in the final group that was disrupted by climate protesters storming the 18th green.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Related Articles

Atlanta Drive beat The Bay to set up clash against New York Golf Club in inaugural TGL Finals Rory McIlroy comfortably beats JJ Spaun in rare Monday playoff to win second Players Championship Golferโ€™s ball goes on excruciatingly long journey before dropping into water on famous 17th hole at Players Championship The Players Championship heads to a rare Monday playoff between Rory McIlroy and JJ Spaun
Share This