Akshay Bhatia’s Jupiter Links side went up against Rory McIlroy’s Boston Common team on Sunday evening in the TGL at SoFi Center.
Bhatia and current Masters champion McIlroy are among the most recognisable faces in golf right now.
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Bhatia praised McIlroy’s game back in April after they played together during the opening two rounds at Augusta National.
The 36-year-old won that tournament and is already building towards his title defence next month.
McIlroy is in good form these days, and he looks as confident as he ever has been. The five-time major winner was hitting his driver well during Sunday night’s TGL matchup, recording a 394-yard drive — the longest in TGL history.
Bhatia was clearly impressed by McIlroy’s power off the tee, even joking about it during their matchup: “Yeah, I don’t think you should play a fade any more.”
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What Akshay Bhatia said about Rory McIlroy after their TGL matchup
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
Boston Common edged out Jupiter Links in overtime on Sunday night, securing the top playoff seed in the process.
Bhatia was the standout performer for Jupiter and he was asked by reporters at the SoFi Center how he manages to generate so much speed, given his slim build.
When he was asked about his clubhead speed, Bhatia made sure to highlight McIlroy’s power as well.
“I think I’ve always been kind of average,” said Bhatia.
“A lot of speed for my weight and size. But I would say, yeah, around 16, 17, I was probably average to a little longer, kind of keeping up with some of the guys.
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“But everyone has just gotten way faster now. It’s pretty frustrating. We saw Rory hit like 192. He was talking about it, and I was just excited if I got like 180. It’s crazy how far the game is going.”
Bhatia is right; professional golf is heading in a crazy direction due to the speeds that players are generating these days.
The PGA Tour plans to introduce a golf ball rollback in 2028 to address those increases.
Rory McIlroy backs PGA Tour golf ball rollback decision
The decision to introduce a shorter ball has split opinion among pros, but Rory McIlroy has never been one to sit on the fence, and he’s made it clear why he backs the rule change.
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The USGA is making the move in an effort to address growing concerns over distance gains in the sport, and while not everyone agrees with how they’re going about it, McIlroy thinks it’s a step in the right direction.
“I don’t understand the anger about the golf ball roll back. It will make no difference whatsoever to the average golfer and puts golf back on a path of sustainability,” said McIlroy.
“It will also help bring back certain skills in the pro game that have been eradicated over the past two decades.”
He went on: “The people who are upset about this decision shouldn’t be mad at the governing bodies, they should be mad at elite pros and club/ball manufacturers because they didn’t want bifurcation.
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“The governing bodies presented us with that option earlier this year. Elite pros and ball manufacturers think bifurcation would negatively affect their bottom lines when in reality, the game is already bifurcated.”
“You think we play the same stuff you do? They put pressure on the governing bodies to roll it back to a lesser degree for everyone. Bifurcation was the logical answer for everyone, but yet again in this game money talks.”
The switch is set for 2028 on tour before rolling out more widely by 2030. For pros like Rory – players already near or past their prime years – this might not be a huge change during their peak seasons. But over time, how these tweaks shape golf’s future remains something to keep an eye on.
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