Bhatia Surges to Pebble Beach Lead with Birdie Barrage

Young golfer overcomes windy conditions to take early tournament advantage.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Akshay Bhatia, a 24-year-old professional golfer, has taken the early lead at the PGA Tour event in Pebble Beach, California by capitalizing on a hot start that included several long birdie putts despite challenging windy conditions on the course.

Why it matters

Bhatia is an up-and-coming young player on the PGA Tour looking to break through with his first career victory. His strong play at the iconic Pebble Beach course could propel him to a career-defining win if he's able to maintain his momentum over the weekend.

The details

Bhatia played a nearly flawless opening round, carding six birdies against just one bogey to post a 5-under 67 and take a one-shot lead. He drained several long birdie putts, including a 30-footer on the par-3 5th hole and a 25-footer on the par-4 8th, to offset the challenging windy conditions that made scoring difficult for many in the field.

  • Bhatia posted his 5-under 67 in the opening round on February 15, 2026.

The players

Akshay Bhatia

A 24-year-old professional golfer on the PGA Tour who is seeking his first career victory.

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What they’re saying

“Akshay really had it going today. Those long birdie putts he made were huge in these conditions.”

— Justin Thomas, PGA Tour Player (PGA Tour Media)

What’s next

Bhatia will look to maintain his lead over the next three rounds as he pursues his first PGA Tour title.

The takeaway

Bhatia's impressive opening round performance at the iconic Pebble Beach course has him in prime position to potentially break through for his maiden PGA Tour victory, showcasing his talent and poise in challenging conditions.