PGA Tour Pro Strips Down Twice For Shots At Honda Classic

No one can ever doubt Akshay Bhatia’s commitment to the cause following the third round of the Honda Classic.

The 21-year-old removed his shirt, shoes and hat not once but twice after finding the edge of the water at PGA National.

Bhatia’s first impromptu strip came on the sixth hole when he found the cusp of the water with his tee shot and opted to play from the unenviable position rather than take a costly penalty shot. It soon proved a wise decision when he recovered for par. His day then got even better when his girlfriend, demonstrating remarkable foresight, handed him a new set of clothes.

Unfortunately for the American, that wouldn’t be his last trip to the water. On the par 3 15th, his overhit tee shot found the swamp beyond the green, and off came the clothes again. Sadly, this time his recovery was not nearly as successful, requiring two shots to find the green, and he ended up having to settle for a double bogey.

Thankfully for Bhatia, the remainder of his round passed without incident, and he even improved matters on the final hole with a birdie to close out a round of 74 for a tie for 58th going into the final round.

While that leaves him well off the pace at 13 shots behind overnight leader Chris Kirk, it’s safe to say that Bhatia is unlikely to forget the day in a hurry. It’s just to be hoped he has yet another set of clothes (or more) available for the final round - or at the very least access to a working washing machine and dryer.