The world of professional golf is no stranger to controversy, but few debates have roiled the game in recent years quite like the one currently swirling around Akshay Bhatia's putting technique. Fresh off his dramatic playoff victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bhatia finds himself at the center of a firestorm over whether his use of a 50-inch broomstick putter toes the line—or crosses it—when it comes to the sport's anchoring ban. The discussion reached fever pitch this week as Jordan Spieth, himself a three-time major champion and a respected voice on the PGA Tour, spoke candidly about the issue during a wide-ranging interview at TPC Sawgrass ahead of The Players Championship.
The controversy began in earnest after Bhatia clinched his third PGA Tour title at Bay Hill, outlasting Daniel Berger in a sudden-death playoff and pocketing a $4 million prize. Bhatia's final-round composure—capped by a decisive eagle—was undeniable. But so, too, was the chatter about his unconventional putting stroke. Social media erupted with accusations that the 24-year-old was anchoring his putter against his chest, a technique explicitly banned by golf's governing bodies since 2016. The rule, known as Rule 14-1b, forbids players from anchoring the club to their body or creating an anchor point during the stroke. Long putters are still legal, but they must not be pressed against the body or stabilized using a fixed point on the torso.
For Bhatia, the scrutiny is nothing new. Earlier this year at Pebble Beach, similar allegations surfaced. Bhatia was quick to respond via Instagram, writing, "Not anchoring. Literally 2 inches short of my chest haha." His denial was echoed by fellow PGA Tour pro Michael Kim, who defended Bhatia on X, stating, "It’s funny to me that Akshay anchoring is a thing. In person, it’s not that close. This is not a concern amongst the players." Kim Si Woo also chimed in, suggesting that much of the controversy is being driven by social media speculation rather than concerns from within the Tour itself.
Bhatia’s journey to the broomstick putter is a story of reinvention. After struggling mightily on the greens early in his career—finishing a dismal 183rd in strokes gained: putting during the 2022-23 season—he sought advice from long-putter converts like Lucas Glover. In the fall of 2023, he made the switch, vowing to give the new method at least six months. The results have been nothing short of spectacular. In both the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Bhatia vaulted into the top 40 in putting statistics, and in 2026, he currently sits at 12th. His performance at Bay Hill, where he gained nearly 16.3 combined strokes on and around the greens, set a new benchmark for a Tour winner in the ShotLink era, which dates back to 1983.
But the optics of Bhatia’s putting style remain a sticking point for many. The gap between the butt of his putter and his chest is so narrow that, to the naked eye, it can be difficult to discern whether he is in compliance with the rules. This ambiguity has fueled debate among fans and pundits alike, prompting calls for clearer regulations. Enter Jordan Spieth, who was asked directly about the controversy during his appearance on Kay Adams’ “Up & Adams” podcast at the Players Championship.
Spieth, who sits on the Tour’s Player Advisory Council, was measured in his response but made his position clear. "In the rules, you can’t anchor," Spieth explained. "Anchoring is if that putter was touching his sternum up top. You can arm-bar now, but you can’t anchor it against your sternum." He continued, "There’s a skill to it, and if it were that easy to do and made everyone that much better, everybody would do it. He’s been doing it for a long time." While acknowledging the legality of Bhatia’s technique, Spieth expressed a personal preference for a new rule: "I would like the putter to be the shortest club in your bag, because it is the shortest club in my bag, and I do believe that it forces more skill. It uses your hands more, which makes you have to be more kind of athletic and deal with the stuff that comes up a little bit more."
This view echoes sentiments previously expressed by Tiger Woods, who in 2012—years before the anchoring ban—said, "I believe it’s the art of controlling the body and club and swinging the pendulum motion. I believe that’s how it should be played. I’m a traditionalist when it comes to that." Spieth’s suggestion that the putter should be the shortest club in the bag has gained traction among some observers who feel that the current rules, which lack a maximum putter length, are too open to interpretation.
For his part, Bhatia has remained steadfast in his defense. “Not anchoring. Literally 2 inches short of my chest haha,” he reiterated, emphasizing that he is playing within the boundaries set by the USGA and R&A. The governing bodies, however, have yet to respond directly to the latest wave of criticism, leaving players and fans alike to debate the merits of the current regulations. As Spieth noted, "That’s not on Bhatia to solve — that’s on the rulesmakers whose job it is to remove gray areas from the rule book, especially if those gray areas are causing fans to unfairly question players’ integrity."
Meanwhile, Spieth’s own fortunes on the greens have seen a notable upswing in 2026. After years of struggles—he finished outside the top 100 in strokes gained putting three times in the past seven seasons and outside the top 60 twice—the 32-year-old Texan has posted back-to-back top-12 finishes in the last two Signature Events and is currently ranked 17th in strokes gained: putting. Many are tipping him for a return to the winner’s circle, thanks in large part to his revived putting touch.
As the PGA Tour heads into The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, the debate over putter length and anchoring shows no sign of abating. Bhatia, buoyed by his recent success and the support of fellow players, will be looking to replicate his Bay Hill magic on another grand stage. Spieth, meanwhile, continues to advocate for rules that reward skill and athleticism, while navigating his own resurgence. Whether the USGA and R&A will heed calls for clearer guidelines remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain: the conversation about tradition, innovation, and the spirit of the game is far from over.
For now, all eyes are on Sawgrass, where Bhatia and Spieth are set to tee it up amid swirling questions and mounting anticipation. The action—and the debate—rolls on.