Questioned about rules violation, Pebble Beach leader posts on social media

Akshay Bhatia pushed back on an online allegation that his putting setup at Pebble Beach might violate the anchoring rule, writing a brief clarification after a commenter raised the question as he sat tied for the lead at the midway point of the AT& T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

The exchange and the anchoring rule

The back-and-forth began when a user left a critical comment on a photo of Bhatia putting with his long putter. The commenter suggested the governing bodies had made a mistake by banning anchoring without also limiting putter length and implied that touching clothing during a stroke could hide an anchoring breach. The post referenced rule 10. 1b, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2016, and addresses the use of an anchor point.

Rule 10. 1b prohibits anchoring the club directly by holding it or a gripping hand against the body or indirectly by using a forearm pressed to the body as a stable point for the stroke. The rule also clarifies that incidental contact — where the club, gripping hand or forearm merely touches clothing or the body without being held against it — is not a breach.

About an hour after the initial comment, Bhatia responded on the same thread with a short, definitive line: "Not anchoring. Literally 2 inches short of my chest haha. " That reply aimed to make clear that his setup did not rely on an anchor point as defined in the rule.

On-course form and context

Beyond the social exchange, Bhatia’s play has been a focal point. He rolled in 59 feet worth of putts on Thursday at Pebble Beach and followed with 71 feet worth of putts on Friday at Spyglass Hill as the event moved through its early rounds. Those numbers helped him share the lead at the midpoint of the tournament.

Earlier in the season Bhatia missed the cut in his first two starts but returned to form with a tie for third last week at the WM Phoenix Open. He acknowledged the uneven start to the year yet described recent improvements in both his swing and his putting that have him feeling more comfortable as the season progresses. He also pointed to the developing partnership with his caddie, saying they are still learning each other’s rhythms but are beginning to mesh on strategy and feel out on-course decisions.

On the tournament timeline, the social exchange occurred shortly before Bhatia began his third round later that same day. He then continued to navigate the leaderboard and course challenges, with the social clarification seemingly intended to remove any lingering questions about the legality of his putting position before the next competitive tee time.

Broader implications and conversations

The episode reignites a recurring debate among players and fans about equipment rules and detectability. Critics have argued that while the anchoring ban sought to change putting technique, keeping unlimited putter lengths introduces gray areas that can be hard to police when contact with clothing or the body is subtle. Officials have maintained the distinction in the rules between deliberate anchoring and incidental contact, leaving enforcement to on-course referees and post-round reviews when necessary.

For Bhatia, the public clarification appeared aimed at closing the conversation quickly so he could focus on competition. Whether the exchange spurs any formal review will depend on officials observing any specific act that clearly violates the anchoring rule. For now, the leader at Pebble Beach resumed play after his brief social-media reply and continued his push in the tournament.