Akshay Bhatia maintains lead at the Rocket Mortgage Classic despite losing ball down the drain

During the second round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, Akshay Bhatia and Min Woo Lee were seen searching for Bhatia’s ball on the 17th fairway. Bhatia faced an unusual situation when his drive ended up down a drain on the fairway. Despite the mishap, Bhatia remained focused and continued on with his round.

In a video posted by the PGA Tour, Bhatia was seen interacting with a rules official as they located his ball in the drain. Bhatia humorously identified the ball as a Callaway, the brand he uses. With the help of the rules official, Bhatia was able to take a free drop near the drain and continue playing the par-5 hole.

Despite the setback, Bhatia didn’t let the incident affect his game. He carded five birdies and shot a 67 in the second round, maintaining his lead in the tournament. With a cumulative score of -13 after two rounds, Bhatia is in a strong position heading into the final rounds of the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

If Bhatia can hold on to his lead, he has a chance at earning his third career PGA Tour win since turning professional in 2019. The purse for the tournament is $9,200,000, providing extra motivation for Bhatia to perform well in the final rounds.