Akshay Bhatia created quite a hype following his impeccable performance at The Players. Going toe-to-toe with the big guns, the golfer finished with a T13 ranking. Immediately, his stocks began to rise, and fans wanted to see Bhatia conquer more milestones in the coming days. However, competing in the $2.55 million Hero Indian Open, the golfer did not have a particularly pleasant experience. Yet, one of the actions significantly increased the fans’ respect. 

After missing the cut by just a solitary shot, Bhatia was quite expectedly dejected. However, owing to his recent surge, there has been a lot of fan following for the PGA Tour star. In a heartwarming moment, Bhatia was spotted entertaining all of his fans’ requests for autographs. In a video uploaded on X, the 24-year-old could be seen smiling and interacting with his fans at the DLF Golf and Country Club almost 9 hours after his disappointing end to the event. 

This made the fans extremely happy as they poured in words of praise for the American professional golfer. After all, players staying back for the sake of their fans for almost a day and a half after their missed cut is rare. His efforts are also commendable as the golfers are allegedly becoming more distant from the fans. 

Now, coming to Bhatia’s performance, he had a poor opening day on Thursday. With an opening nine score of 44, he needed a lot to bounce back. And surprisingly, he almost pulled off a miracle. Playing on his back nine, Bhatia shot a solid three-under-par. Amping up his game further, he concluded his front nine with a four-under-par shooting. 

Unfortunately, despite such a valiant effort, one mistake from his side ruined his hard work. Trying to continue the merry run, Bhatia carded a four-over-par 40 on his back side. This proved to be a decisive blow as he missed out on the cut by a single shot. Meanwhile, overlooking his failure, fans online spoke highly of Bhatia’s generous act. 

Fans hail Akshay Bhatia’s gesture despite missing the cut in India

One fan praised Akshay Bhatia for his humility and dedication toward fans despite a disappointing outing at the Hero Indian Open. He stayed back and signed autographs, which left fans impressed. More so because several athletes have often been spotted ignoring fans, particularly after upsetting performances. “Good for him. Showing other golfer how to treat fans and respect the event unlike some,” read the comment. 

Highlighting how such an act sets Akshay Bhatia apart is his mindset and professionalism, another fan mentioned, “This is what separates the guys who make it long-term from the ones who flame out. Miss the cut, stay 9+ hours signing autographs. That’s a dude who gets it”. Despite missing the cut at the Hero Indian Open, he stayed back for hours to engage with fans, showing humility towards his supporters. And according to the netizen, such acts shape athletes towards betterment. 

Echoing the same thought, another fan commented, “Champion mindset right there.”

Another fan chimed in, mentioning how such kind gestures mean a lot, especially for young fans, as it inspires them and teaches them to remain grounded in life. The fan added, “Top man. Mean so much to the kids whose stuff he’s signed.”

Owing to his Indian origin, Akshay Bhatia has a strong follower base in India. He himself, too, has often spoken about his love for India. Reflecting on the same, one golf enthusiast added, “His commitment post-round highlights why he is such a vital asset for the growth of golf in India.”

Thus, with things looking bright, it now remains to be seen how things pan out for Bhatia next.