Three PGA Tour wins. A historic strokes-gained stat. A putting setup that survived a public cheating accusation. Akshay Bhatia is peaking at exactly the right time. Yet with 20 days before the Masters, when asked about his Augusta prep plan, it had the thinnest place in his blueprint of the coming week.

“I have gone early, which is great, but the golf course doesn’t simulate how the tournament is going to be. I’ll be there Saturday and Sunday, my coach can be inside the ropes, which is nice. There are certain things I will work on at home, short game, downhill putts, a lot of break, small things that will help me get ready.”

He also shared his future plans, “But I am going to India next week, so it will be interesting. Hopefully, support my boys on winning the finale.”

Well, two days at Augusta is slim preparation for a course that punishes anyone who has not done their homework. The scouting trip matters because Augusta’s greens are unlike anything else on Tour, severely sloped, lightning fast, and with breaks that take multiple visits to understand.

Meanwhile, his competitor, reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy, has already confirmed he took his scouting trip to Augusta National this past Saturday, beginning his title defense preparation early.

Bhatia’s buildup has also not been smooth off the course. His Arnold Palmer Invitational win two weeks ago came with immediate controversy, as his putting technique was heavily criticized online, with many accusing him of cheating. He addressed it publicly at TPC Sawgrass during The Players Championship, demonstrating his setup was within the rules.

He still finished T13, but that kind of noise heading into a major buildup is never ideal.

He then withdrew from the Valspar Championship. And now heads to India for a €2,550,000 DP World Tour event running March 26-29, before flying back to Augusta with days to spare.

This choice is even more debatable because Bhatia’s game is really at its best right now. He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a historic +16.3 strokes gained in the short game, the most ever recorded by a PGA Tour winner since ShotLink started. There is a form.

His putting game is also excellent. Bhatia was one of only four players on Tour this season who made all of his three- and five-foot putts going into Bay Hill. His setup, which includes a 44-inch broomstick Odyssey Ai-Dual Jailbird with lead tape added for feel and deflection theory borrowed from Bryson DeChambeau’s camp, is unusual but clearly working.

Bhatia has played Augusta twice. He debuted at the 2024 Masters after winning the Valero Texas Open, made the cut, and finished T35. In 2025, he finished T42. There is clearly still ground to cover at Augusta, which makes two days of preparation feel thin when rivals are putting in full weeks of work. The risk is real, and the clock is ticking.

But Bhatia is not walking into Augusta without a safety net.

The one advantage Akshay Bhatia has that no scouting trip can provide

Bhatia might not be getting as much extra time to prepare for Augusta, but he has something that most players in the field don’t. He is an active member of Tiger Woods’ TGL team, Jupiter Links GC, which puts him in direct contact with the best Augusta National mind in the history of the sport. That access is not free.

Their relationship has grown beyond just being polite at work. Akshay Bhatia has talked openly about Woods texting him after wins and close finishes, calling it pretty sick on the ForePlay Podcast. Most players spend their whole careers hoping for that kind of recognition from Woods, let alone a way to talk to him directly.

Mentorship is crucial now due to its timing. Bhatia says Woods is more willing to teach younger players as he nears retirement. It helps a 24-year-old entering his third Masters with hopes of talking to someone about it.

At last year’s Masters, Woods called Bhatia “Ashtray,” which went viral and showed how comfortable their relationship is. Even though it’s not a typical way to prepare, getting to know someone who has won five green jackets may be more important than an extra practice round.