The 22-year-old Akshay Bhatia is the uprising golfer! He turned pro in 2019 and his PGA Tour debut was at the Valspar Championship that year. He sadly could not make the cut. His full-time journey on the Tour began last year. He came close to clinching the trophy on two occasions, the Peurto Rico Open (T2) and the Mexico Open at Vidanta (T4); he managed to grab the trophy at the Barracuda Championship.
Came the 2024 season, and he won the Valero Texas Open. Bhatia is currently ranked 31 on the OWGR list, a great feat for a 22-year-old. His career did see all kinds of moments in just a short time frame, but there was one thing that remained constant. The rock-solid support from the love of his life, Presleigh Schultz.
He even dedicated his first victory on the Tour to her. After the game, he got emotional when asked about Presleigh Schultz and said, “I couldn’t imagine my life without her. I couldn’t imagine being on this journey without her. She is a huge part of this win.” But what exactly led to them dating?
The couple’s love story began with an Instagram message that Akshay Bhatia sent to Presleigh. When they met for the first time, Schultz had little knowledge of golf. Reflecting on the moment in 2022, Bhatia shared, “I was playing in the Valero Texas Open, so I said, ‘Hey, let’s meet up.’” They hit it off and have been together ever since. After their first meeting, Schultz continued to caddy for Bhatia on multiple occasions, particularly during his time on the Korn Ferry Tour.
