Akshay Bhatia’s Height and Professional Golf Career
Akshay Bhatia stands 6 feet 1 inch (185 cm) tall and weighs approximately 165 pounds. He turned professional at age 18 and broke through on the PGA Tour with a win at the 2024 Valero Texas Open. His height is above the PGA Tour average of about 5′11″, giving him a build that helps generate high clubhead speed while maintaining control. Here’s how his height influences his game and a detailed look at his professional career so far.
Height and Its Role in His Game
Bhatia’s 6′1″ frame is comparable to Scottie Scheffler (6′3″) and Brooks Koepka (6′0″), but taller than Collin Morikawa (5′9″) or Rory McIlroy (5′10″). His official PGA Tour profile lists these measurements, making them the most reliable source. You can verify them directly on PGATour.com under his bio.
For a golfer, height affects club length, lie angle, swing plane, and leverage. Bhatia’s reach allows him to swing the driver with an average clubhead speed of 118 mph (consistently in the top 30 on tour), translating to ball speeds around 177 mph. In the 2024 season, his driving distance averaged roughly 315 yards, putting him in the top 20 in that category. That power is a direct result of his longer levers.
However, height alone isn’t a success formula. Players of all heights thrive on the PGA Tour. For example, the top-ranked players in 2024 included Scottie Scheffler (6′3″), Xander Schauffele (5′10″), and Rory McIlroy (5′10″), showing that both taller and shorter builds can win consistently. The practical takeaway: if you’re around 6′1″, Bhatia’s setup (longer clubs, slightly upright lie) can be a useful reference, but your individual swing mechanics, flexibility, and strength training will ultimately dictate what works.
Professional Career Highlights
Early Amateur Success
Bhatia won the 2017 Junior PGA Championship at age 15 by four strokes, firing rounds of 67-66-68-68. He also made the cut as an amateur at the 2019 Butterfield Bermuda Championship on the PGA Tour, finishing tied for 60th. That performance convinced him to skip college and turn professional in September 2020 at age 18.
Korn Ferry Tour Wins
After turning pro, Bhatia quickly earned status on the Korn Ferry Tour. He recorded his first professional victory at The Ascendant in 2022, shooting 21-under-par over four rounds and winning by three shots. That win secured his PGA Tour card for the 2022–23 season. He also posted three other top-10 finishes that year, including a T‑2 at the 2022 LECOM Suncoast Classic.
PGA Tour Breakthrough
In his rookie season, Bhatia posted six top-25 finishes, including a runner-up at the 2022 Sanderson Farms Championship where he lost to Mackenzie Hughes in a playoff. He broke through for his maiden win at the 2024 Valero Texas Open. In a playoff against Denny McCarthy, Bhatia sank a 12‑foot birdie putt on the second extra hole—a putt that broke left to right about 18 inches and found the center of the cup. The win made him the first left‑handed winner on the PGA Tour since Bubba Watson in the 2018 Genesis Open. It also earned him a two‑year PGA Tour exemption and a spot in the 2024 Masters.
2024 Season and Beyond
At the 2024 Masters, Bhatia made the cut and finished T38, earning a tie for low amateur honors among the pros with a final round 70. He ended the season inside the top 70 of the FedEx Cup standings, confirming his consistency. He ranked 32nd in driving distance, 45th in strokes gained off the tee, but 145th in strokes gained around the green—a clear trade-off of his power game. At 22 years old (turning 23 in early 2025), he is one of the youngest established winners on tour.
Trade‑Offs of a Taller Frame
Being 6′1″ offers clear advantages off the tee, but it also introduces specific challenges. Taller players often struggle with short‑game touch and consistency around the greens due to longer levers that require more precise timing. In 2024, Bhatia’s strokes gained around the green ranked 145th on tour, while the tour average for players inside the top 100 in that category was roughly 0.05 per round. His scrambling percentage hovered near 55%, compared to the tour average of 58%. This limitation means that while he can overpower courses off the tee, he sometimes leaves himself with more difficult up‑and‑downs than shorter, more compact players.
Height also affects putting posture and stroke arc. Bhatia uses a conventional 34-inch putter, but a taller player’s eye position over the ball can alter the perception of the break. He has worked extensively with a putting coach, and his putting stats improved moderately in the second half of the 2024 season: his strokes gained putting moved from outside the top 150 to inside the top 120 by the fall.
There is also a higher risk of back strain for taller golfers, especially those who generate high clubhead speed. Bhatia’s training regimen includes core stability and flexibility work to mitigate that risk—a common priority for players with his build.
What This Means for You
If you’re comparing yourself to Bhatia, remember that his height is one piece of a complex puzzle. His swing mechanics, flexibility, and strength training are tailored to his body. Copying his exact setup without accounting for your own height, swing speed, and physical limitations can lead to poor contact or injury. Instead, use his build as a rough benchmark: if you’re near 6′1″, you may benefit from longer clubs (typically +0.5 inch over standard) and a slightly upright lie angle—but always get fitted by a professional. A proper fitting includes measuring wrist-to-floor length, preferred swing plane, and ball flight tendencies.
Bhatia’s career trajectory shows that a 6′1″ frame can produce elite results, but it’s the combination of athletic ability, early pro experience, and dedicated short‑game work that has turned him into a consistent winner. His height is an asset, not a guarantee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Akshay Bhatia considered tall on the PGA Tour?
Yes, at 6′1″ he is about two inches taller than the tour average of 5′11″.
How does Bhatia’s height compare to other top golfers?
He is similar to Brooks Koepka (6′0″) and Scottie Scheffler (6′3″), but taller than Collin Morikawa (5′9″), Jon Rahm (6′1″ is similar), and Rory McIlroy (5′10″).
Does Bhatia use longer clubs because of his height?
His driver and irons are typically 0.5 to 1 inch longer than standard, and his lie angles are slightly upright, matching common recommendations for a 6′1″ golfer.
What is Bhatia’s best PGA Tour finish so far?
His best result is a win at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.
How old was Bhatia when he turned professional?
He turned professional in September 2020 at age 18, after skipping college.
Michael Reeves is a PGA Professional with over 20 years of experience in competitive golf and instruction. A former Division I collegiate player at the University of Texas, he competed on the mini-tours before transitioning to full-time coaching and golf journalism. He has been a certified PGA teaching professional since 2005 and has worked with players at every level, from absolute beginners to collegiate champions.
His writing has appeared in Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, and The Left Rough. At GolfHubz, Michael leads the editorial team, overseeing fact-checking and ensuring every answer meets the same standard he demands on the lesson tee: clear, evidence-based, and immediately useful.
When he’s not writing or teaching, Michael plays to a +1.4 handicap at his home club in Austin, Texas. He has attended over 40 major championships as a journalist and fan, and has played more than 200 courses across 15 countries.
You can reach Michael at [email protected] or follow his occasional swing analysis posts on the site.