Akshay Bhatia was born in Northridge, California, he grew up in Wake Forest, North Carolina, and turned professional in 2019 after a standout amateur career. As an amateur he represented the United States in events like the Junior Presidents Cup (2017), Junior Ryder Cup (2018), and the Walker Cup (2019), becoming the youngest high schooler ever to play in the latter. He also won two silver medals for Team USA at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics.
Bhatia made his first PGA Tour start at age 17 and quickly rose through the ranks. He won on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022 and earned status on the PGA Tour, where he has claimed multiple victories including the 2023 Barracuda Championship and the 2024 Valero Texas Open, both in playoffs.