Akshay Bhatia and Scottie Scheffler weren’t impressed with the Extinction Rebellion protestors. (Image: Getty)
PGA Tour Winner Akshay Bhatia admitted he was ‘scared for his life’ during a climate protest at this weekend’s Travelers Championship.
Extinction Rebellion protestors stormed the green on the 18th hole at TPC River Highlands, with Bhatia, alongside playing partners Scottie Scheffler and Tom Kim, lining up their puts.
Multiple protestors entered the course donning t-shirts reading ‘NO GOLF ON A DEAD PLANET’ while carrying smoke and powder.
The stunt was abruptly halted by the police, who swiftly tackled the protestors to the ground.
It was reported after the event in Connecticut that six people were arrested.
But speaking about the incident, Bhatia revealed it left him shaken up. “I was scared for my life,” he commented.
“I didn’t even really know what was happening. But thankfully the cops were there and kept us safe, because that’s, you know, that’s just weird stuff.”
He wasn’t the only one flustered by the protestors’ exploits, with Masters champion Scottie Scheffler claiming it left him ‘rattled’.
Scottie Scheffler won the Travelers Championship in Connecticut. (Image: Getty)
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Scheffler said: “Officers got it taken care of pretty dang fast, and so we were very grateful for that.
“When something like that happens, you don’t really know what’s happening, so it can kind of rattle you a little bit.
“That can be a stressful situation, and you would hate for the tournament to end on something weird happening because of a situation like that.”
Despite the Extinction Rebellion protest, Scheffler kept his cool to clinch yet another PGA Tour victory.
The American saw off competitor Kim in dramatic fashion, with Scheffler making a winning par to defeat the South Korean in a playoff.
It’s the sixth PGA Tour win in 10 starts for Scheffler, who praised his opponent for pushing him so far.
The 28-year-old said: “It has been a great season. I’ve been fortunate to come away with some wins and it has been a lot of fun.
“Tom played his heart out today. He’s a great player, great champion and it was fun battling with him today.”
Next up for the PGA Tour is a trip to Michigan for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, with Rickie Fowler set to return as defending champion.
It comes amid an ongoing tussle between the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf over the split in the men’s game.
Talks are believed to be ongoing between the two parties, but there have been no signs of a breakthrough.
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