midnight snacc

Fit golfer goes shirtless on the green, prompting the world to ask, “Wait, is golf hot?”

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Akshay Bhatia at the 2023 Honda Classic | Image Credit: Getty Images

We here at Queerty love to cover the wide world of sports. After all, there are so many brave and talented LGBTQ+ athletes out there breaking down barriers every day. Plus… well, we like to watch.

But if there’s one sport we don’t get to cover quite as much, it’s golf.

Typically associated with muted clapping and pastel polos tucked into khakis, golf has never really been the sexiest. But all of that changed this weekend when—at least for one afternoon—golf was the hottest sport in the country!

And we have 21-year old pro Akshay Bhatia to thank for that.

With those tight abs and lovely flowing locks, you might think you were looking at an exceptionally steamy ad for Dockers or Brooks Brothers. But, for Bhatia, it was just another day on the green!

It all went down on Saturday at the PGA’s Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. At the sixth hole, Bhatia teed off with his ball landing in the mud to the left of the main fairway.

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Now apparently, it’s not uncommon for a golfer to do away with their shoes and socks when they have to wade into the mud and water. But Bhatia took things a step further and we all got a show, taking his shirt off to keep it from getting too dirty.

And, guess what? He actually got his ball back onto the fairway and made par! Maybe Bhatia should always play shirtless? You know, as a good luck charm!

Later in the round, at the 15th hole, Bhatia got himself stuck in a similar situation and—oh gosh, what a bummer *wink, wink*—looks like he had to take his shirt off again!

Bhatia may not have left the Honda Classic a champion, but he sure did win himself a whole new group of fans. As he joked with reporters that day, “I feel like my body looks good, and hopefully on TV it makes it look a little bigger.”

Clearly, the young pro was feeling the love: “It brings warmth to my heart when people are shouting my name, cheering me on. It’s really just a fun experience, and I hope to have more of it.”

Unfortunately, Bhatia is spoken for. In fact, it was his girlfriend, Presleigh Schultz, who was on hand to give him a change of clothes. No disrespect to Schultz, but did she have to?

Anyway, over on Twitter, the footage of Bhatia made the rounds beyond the usually gold fan circles, prompting many to ask, “Wait, golf can be hot?”

Below, check out a few of our favorite thirsty reactions to these sizzling hot links:

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