Akshay Bhatia struggled at the Indian Open this week, missing the cut by one shot after his first round 77 left him with simply too much work to do.
Bhatia bounced back well after his opening nine score of 44 on Thursday by shooting three-under-par on his back nine.
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He then flew out of the blocks on Friday, shooting a four-under-par 32 on his front nine.
However, Bhatia then carded a four-over-par 40 on his back-side to miss out on weekend golf at the Indian Open by a single shot.
Photo by Jason Butler/Getty Images
Bhatia admitted to loving playing at the Indian Open this week at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram, India.
He will be back to try again; there’s no doubt about that.
Right now, though, Bhatia is receiving huge praise for what he did just 10 hours after missing the cut in India.
What Akshay Bhatia did at the Indian Open 10 hours after missing the cut
Bhatia has been in fine form on the PGA Tour this season, with one win and two top-10 finishes to his name in seven starts.
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So the fact that he missed the cut on the DP World Tour this week came as a huge surprise to everyone.
He obviously would have been bitterly disappointed with his performance in the country of his heritage this week.
Photo by Jason Butler/Getty Images
However, the talented 24-year-old left-hander showed nothing but class only hours after missing the cut in India.
Bhatia finished the final two holes of his second round early on Saturday morning after play was suspended on Friday due to darkness.
And just 10 hours after he missed out on the weekend action, he was spotted wandering the grounds of the DLF Golf and Country Club, smiling and signing autographs for his fans.
That really is superb from Bhatia.
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Akshay Bhatia proves his class in India
It was pure class from the 24-year-old to give something back to the fans who have supported him this week at the Indian Open.
Players hanging around at the golf course nearly half a day after they have missed the cut is almost unheard of.
And Bhatia’s behavior needs to be commended in a day and age where the players are becoming less and less relatable to the average person.
Akshay Bhatia is obviously a very popular player in India, just like he is in the United States.
It’s such a shame that he didn’t play anywhere near his best this week, but he’ll undoubtedly be back to try again next year.
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