Akshay Bhatia details key change at The Sentry as he closes in on another win

One of the newcomers playing at the Kapalua Plantation Course for this week's tournament is off to a strong start, having secured his position in this week's event during this last autumn. After three rounds of play, the 21-year-old player is just one shot behind the 54-hole leader, Chris Kirk. First-time players frequently have a difficult time at the Plantation Course, but the caddie of the newcomer, Bhatia, is familiar with the golf course, which is proving to be an advantage.

"I felt pretty at ease today, and I know my skills are in top shape. Right now, my amended putting style is proving to be largely beneficial," said Bhatia. "I’ve been feeling really strong and am eager to see how I cope with my own aspiration of winning tomorrow.”

On Saturday, Bhatia scored an impeccably faultless 66, leaving him 20 under with 18 holes still to tackle. He completed his round tying him for the most at 22 in 54 holes. He accredits his ability to remain competitive to his knack for successful putting.

He started using the long putter this week, which has been a significant shift in his gameplay. "Historically, my putting hasn’t been up to scratch," he explained. "Stats sometimes can be distorted, but we had a sit-down conversation about it. The decision I needed to make required input from my mental coach, my putting coach, my swing coach - everyone was involved."

In the last season, Bhatia ranked 183rd in strokes gained-putting, however this has now turned around, as through three rounds of play at the Sentry, he leads with an impressive 5.578 shots picked up on the field, and now ranks third in strokes gained-putting. The long putter, which he started using recently, is definitely proving advantageous for him.

Adapting his technique to use a long putter has been liberating for him, mentioning “The long putts just feel a bit more natural. I’m overthinking less and just seeing and striking. Using it challenges me especially in wind, but I’m not passing any judgment on the putter itself, whether I succeed or fail in my puts.”

Jordan Spieth, who played alongside him on Saturday, praised Bhatia’s putting talents, noting that he must have gained at least four or five strokes on the greens that day.

As we look to the final 18 holes of the tournament, we ask, could this be the day that Bhatia secures his second PGA Tour victory? A competitive field that will challenge the leaders to the finish stands in his way.