PGA Tour star responds to cheating accusations amid challenge for Pebble Beach title

PGA Tour star Akshay Bhatia has denied any allegations of cheating as he looks to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

A video has been spread around social media of the American putting on day two of the tournament, accusing him of anchoring.

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In the official rule book, anchoring the club while taking a putt is officially prohibited.

Anchoring takes place in many forms, but it involves the top of the putter being ‘anchored’ to a part of the player’s body.

This includes the stomach, other hand, forearm, chest and chin.

The penalty for anchoring is two strokes, which, if applied here, could be damaging for Bhatia.

That is because he is tied on 15 under par heading into the third round with Japanese star Ryo Hisatsune.

Both men have been excellent across the first two rounds, but Sam Burns and Rickie Fowler are just one shot back.

The video circulating online of Bhatia does appear to show his putter close to his chest.

The putter is allowed to be close to the previously mentioned body parts, but it just can’t be leaning against them.

Some golf fans called Bhatia out for his supposed rule break though, with one writing on X: “Looks suspiciously like it’s anchored to his chest, it’s certainly very close?”

Another pointed out: “Looks like anchoring to me.”

Another golf fanatic posted: “Hard to say for sure [if he’s anchoring] but doesn’t look great.”

But in reply to an Instagram post, Bhatia was having none of it.

He said: “Not anchoring. Literally 2 inches short of my chest haha.”

Going for glory

There hasn’t been any suggestion that the 24-year-old is going to be investigated over the accusations.

Instead, Bhatia is in contention for a win.

And given the prize pot is a whopping $20million, it could prove to be a very fruitful final two days.

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Bhatia struggled at the start of 2026, failing to make the cut twice, but that has all been changed here.

Across the first two days, he didn’t hit a single bogey as he recorded rounds of 65 and 64.

Rory in the chasing pack

Rory McIlroy is six shots off the lead, so he still has a chance.

The question for the Northern Irishman is whether he can rectify the mistakes made across the first two days.

Speaking about his chances after round two, he said: “I feel like I wasted a few shots out there or at least just wasn’t efficient with my scoring and didn’t capitalise on my good start the last couple of days.

“I played pretty good but with the weather coming in on Sunday, [Saturday’s] going to be a really important day to get yourself in position.

“Sunday looks like it could be pretty messy and a lot of things could happen, so the closer you are to the lead Sunday the better.

“Even if I am a few behind going into Sunday, everyone will have a chance given those conditions.”