Akshay Bhatia would rather talk to somebody than suffer quietly inside his head. He loves to tell his story, which isn’t all rosy, he reassures. Bhatia was shot into stardom at a young age, and teenage fame has its cost. “This lifestyle may look great from the outside, but it’s a lot more to deal with; a lot more factors go into just the business side of it,” Bhatia said after strengthening his grip over the Valero Texas Open with a four-shot lead on the moving day. On Saturday, he carded a 4-under 68.

It’s remarkable what Bhatia has accomplished at the young age of 22. His caddie had been in business for more summers than he had seen. One year since joining the Tour, the Los Angeles resident has one title, three top-three finishes, and is in contention at the Valero Texas Open. A victory here would open the doors to Augusta National. But “there’s so much more to it than just the golf,” that’s going on in Bhatia’s mind.

Life hasn’t been easy for the rising PGA Tour star

Bhatia has been in touch with his psychologist throughout the week. Even on Saturday. Golf is a fickle sport, and a five-shot or six-shot lead can be wiped out. That conversation hammered the reality back into his head—that the ultimate goal is to win a major.

A victory at Texas would take him close; he will earn a spot at the Masters, but a runner-up finish won’t cost him his career. And then there’s life outside the greens. “I’ve never had an easy life growing up, so anytime anyone sees that, oh, this kid’s making a ton of money, he’s playing on the PGA Tour, he’s won on the PGA Tour, that’s just not it.”

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The 22-year-old learned that the hard way when he qualified for the US Open at 19 and made the cut as well. But he wasn’t happy; he wasn’t enjoying the golf he played. The pressure piled on, and the burden of expectation ruined the moment for him.

Bhatia is part of the younger crop of stars that includes the likes of Min Woo Lee, Ludvig Aberg, Tom Kim, and Nick Dunlap. His trajectory bears some resemblance to Dunlap’s, who turned pro before finishing college. “For guys coming up from the PGA Tour, Nick Dunlap, for instance, winning on the PGA Tour, like, there’s going to be a lot for them to learn, and hopefully being peers with them, it kind of can help them along the way and kind of grow up faster,” said Akshay Bhatia from TPC San Antonio.

But does talking about his struggles openly help, though? Bhatia had no clear answer to that question. “I’d rather speak it to someone than not at all. I love sharing my story; I love being honest, and whether I get hate for it or not doesn’t matter.” Bhatia is indeed an open book. Further proof of his openness was evident throughout the media interaction.

How is Akshay Bhatia keeping his anxiety in check?

Sharing a lead at a tournament, where a victory would land you in one of the of the most prestigious stages of golf, isn’t easy on the mind. Bhatia had to keep reminding himself of the bigger picture. ‘Race my race.’ Before the round, Bhatia wrote it down on his wrist.

“I look at that all the time because you can get caught up in a lot of things out here, and if I’m just kind of doing my own thing and trying not to let outside stuff bother me, then I just can focus on myself, and whatever the outcome is, it is,” Akshay Bhatia told the media persons from Texas.

“The saliva that flows now will become the tears of joy tomorrow.” That is permanently etched on the back of Bhatia’s PGA Tour colleague, Matthieu Pavon’s, palm. The struggle is real, and Bhatia and Pavon are not alone. Bubba Watson, who now plies his trade on LIV Golf, has battled with ADHD and anxiety for quite some time. The two-time Masters champion has no qualms about admitting his gripping fear and nervousness.

His RangeGoats teammate, Matthew Wolff, has suffered from depression, which put a sudden stop to his spectacular rise. The 24-year-old has also been open about his mental anguish and the fights he fought alone. Akshay Bhatia and his ilks are paving the path for golf’s mental health reckoning.

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