Akshay Bhatia has made his way on the PGA Tour very nicely so far, picking up his first title at the 2023 Barracuda Championship as the majority of the golfing world's eyes were focused firmly on Royal Liverpool and The Open.
In fact, 2023 was a particularly memorable year for the slim left-handed golfer as he also proposed to his girlfriend, Presleigh Schultz.
A little more than two years after Bhatia sent Schultz a message on Instagram asking her out, the pair were pictured in the middle of a Napa Valley vineyard with the pro golfer down on one knee and holding a ring is his hands.
In the time between Bhatia plucking up the courage to speak to Schultz ahead of the 2021 Valero Texas Open and his first PGA Tour victory, the California-born player also employed his girlfriend as his caddie - despite Schultz herself admitting that she "knew nothing" about golf.
She must have known enough, though, or at least provided Bhatia with the confidence and assurance to close out his debut Korn Ferry Tour success at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic in January 2022.
Schultz - who is believed to earn a living through endorsements and advertising revenue - has since handed caddie duties off to an experienced professional, though, with Ryan Jamison serving as Bhatia's current looper.
Although she no longer caddies for the upcoming star, Schultz is Bhatia's main supporter these days, as she travels with her fiancé and walks every competitive round he plays.
Following his win at the Barracuda Championship last summer, Bhatia became emotional when discussing the positive effect that meeting Presleigh has had on him.
Bhatia said: "She has been through it all with me. She had no idea what golf was when I met her. Now she travels every week with me, and it is not easy because it is all about me 100% of the time.
“She’s gone through it all with me.” ❤️@AkshayBhatia_1 was emotional reflecting on how his girlfriend Presleigh has been by his side every step of the way. pic.twitter.com/biTmRY9qVnJuly 24, 2023
"For her to support me every week and walk 72 holes, I couldn't imagine my life without her and being on this journey without her. She has done a lot for me.
"She makes my peanut and jelly sandwiches every morning and does a lot. She has seen me cry in the hotel room and seen me super happy. For her to see me here, she always keep telling me how good I am, even if I question myself sometimes."
In 2021, @AkshayBhatia_1 met his now fiancée for the first time @ValeroTXOpen.3 years later, she'll walk every hole with him at the same event as he looks to claim victory in San Antonio. pic.twitter.com/ba5Y0i0JsxApril 7, 2024
Despite her moments in the spotlight alongside her fiancé, Schultz remains a private person and not much is known about her. She has a little more than 81,000 followers on TikTok and over 25,000 followers on Instagram. Her birthday is February 13, 2002 - making her almost exactly the same age as Bhatia, who was born on January 31, 2002.
