Akshay Bhatia admits what he’s ‘deeply’ struggling with right now and opens up on what has been ‘very tough’ about working with his coach

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Akshay Bhatia is clearly an extremely talented player, but he’s been really struggling with his form recently.

Bhatia is a two-time PGA Tour winner, so he knows exactly what it takes to succeed at the very highest level of the game.

However, 2025 has been a strange year for him so far, with four missed cuts in the 13 events he has played and only three top-10 finishes to his name.

Bhatia recently said he needs to improve his driving and putting, and that was an interesting admission from the talented left-hander.

The 23-year-old is ranked 118th in strokes gained off the tee, but stands in ninth in strokes gained putting.

So it’s clear to see that the driver is the real issue.

Akshay Bhatia admits what he’s ‘deeply’ struggling with right now

Bhatia is actually really well-placed midway through the Charles Schwab Challenge.

He is currently sitting at seven-under-par after two rounds, four shots adrift of leaders Ben Griffin and Matti Schmid.

However, the 23-year-old is clearly still not entirely happy with his swing, and the way his driver feels in his hands right now.

Bhatia explained why he has been struggling so badly with his driver, and how working with his coach has become so complicated recently.

He said, “I mean, this golf course doesn’t require a lot of drivers, so I’ve been just struggling pretty deeply with the driver. My golf swing is not where I want it to be, and it’s been an adjustment for my coach and I. I used to live right down the street from him, and now we’re in different states.

“I used to see him so frequently. Any time we get a chance to actually work on my golf swing is the week of either majors or signatures, which is very tough.

“But, you know, I’ve been putting good, and I’m starting to gain confidence. I think I have putted good all year, but I always felt like it wasn’t as go ahead as last year. Statistically it has been, but I just haven’t felt that. Now I’m starting to feel that.

“Ball striking has been pretty good for the last I would say four or five weeks as far as strokes gained and distance control and everything, but the biggest thing right now is my driver. I’ve been just really, really struggling. I have one or two really bad golf swings that, I mean, cost me a lot of shots.

“I had it the week of PLAYERS. Then my driver cracked a week of Augusta, and so it’s been a little bit of a search. Like I said, it’s just hard to do it when we have big, big events like either majors or signatures.
Predominantly it’s been left, but I can make a great golf swing and it can go right. I’m just trying to figure that out.

“Like I said, my golf swing is nowhere close where I want it to be. I can get away with it with my irons just because I hit so many off-speed shots. I have pretty good face control there. When it comes to driver, I step up and don’t really know where it’s going to go sometimes.“

That’s a remarkably honest admission from Bhatia, and it’s refreshing to hear a professional golfer talk so openly about his struggles.

Bhatia’s 2025 PGA Tour stats prove one thing

He will undoubtedly come through this period stronger, both as a player and a person.

Here are his numbers from this season, compared to last year:

It’s really interesting seeing those numbers through the prism of Bhatia’s comments. He won the Valero Texas Open last year, don’t forget.

He has actually improved in three of the key statistical categories this season, but he feels like he’s nowhere near where he wants to be.

Golf is a funny old game. Often, players feel like they’re further away from succeeding than they actually are in reality.

And if Bhatia continues to work hard, it won’t be long before he wins again, there is no doubt about that.