Akshay Bhatia shares the lead in Detroit after his golf ball finds a fairway drain on the 17th

Akshay Bhatia hits from the rough on the ninth hole during the second round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan, Friday, June 27, 2024. (Daniel Mears/Detroit News via AP)

Detroit – Akshay Bhatia was walking down the fairway at Detroit Golf Club, looking for his ball after a long, straight tee shot, and found it in an unlikely place: underground, after falling into a drain.

Bhatia said he and the PGA Tour rules official who granted a free drop had never seen anything like it.

“The chances of that ball going into that little hole in that drain were about one in a million,” he said.

Bhatia eventually shot a 5-under 67, good for a tie for the lead after 36 holes with Aaron Rai (13-under 131) at the Rocket Mortgage Classic on Friday.

Bhatia’s drive on the par-5 17th hole managed to land in a metal drain plug in one of five holes just big enough to fit a golf ball. He ultimately made par in his second consecutive bogey-free round.

“I think it’s going to be quite viral,” he said.

Rai shot 65 to match Bhatia on a course that consistently produces low scores. The Englishman made seven birdies, including four in a five-hole stretch midway through the round, and capped his day with a 21-foot birdie putt at the 18th.

Taylor Montgomery (68), Troy Merritt (64), Erik van Rooyen (64) and Cameron Young (66) were two strokes behind the co-leaders.

Eric Cole (68), Cam Davis (66) and Joel Dahmen (64) returned fire again.

Neal Shipley, the low amateur at the Masters and US Open, gave himself a chance to play as a pro in his first PGA Tour event. He was four shots back after a 68.

“With my experience with the majors, I don’t feel like there’s a big learning curve for me,” he said.

Amateur Luke Clanton (68) was 7 under, showing the talent he displayed last season at Florida State, where he set a school record with a 69.3 scoring average.

Bhatia, 22, opted to skip college and turned pro at the age of 17.

“I still have a long way to go before I can say this is the right decision, but so far I have made progress every year I have been a pro,” he said.

He earned his second PGA Tour victory at the Texas Open in April and finished fifth at the Travelers Championship, where he was in the last group disrupted by climate protesters who stormed the 18th green.

Rai, Montgomery and Young are each seeking their first PGA Tour victory. Merritt and van Rooyen have won twice each.

Tom Kim, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 16, followed up a first-round 73 with a 68 and missed the cut by one stroke at 3 under. After losing to Scottie Scheffler in a playoff last week in Connecticut, he may run out of gas in his ninth straight tournament in the Motor City.

Miles Russell, a 15-year-old amateur from Florida, hit a round of 70 on Friday, missing the cut in his PGA Tour debut with an even par of 144.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Russell was a fan favorite, drawing relatively large galleries and hearing plenty of encouragement.

“You got it, boy!” shouted an audience member.

After signing his card and answering questions from reporters, he hugged family members, posed for photos and signed autographs.

“It’s been surreal,” said his mother, Keli Russell, holding back tears. “The support from everyone has just been incredible.”

Russell, the youngest player to compete on the Korn Ferry Tour, returns to the Motor City next month for the U.S. Junior Amateur at Oakland Hills, where Tiger Woods’ son Charlie will also be in the field.

“(Charlie Woods) was actually there at my charity event, the Florida Sunshine Cup, I played with him there,” Russell said. “I haven’t played with him for a while and it will be good to see him.”

Cam Davis, left, and Rickie Fowler look out over the eighth green during the second round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan, Friday, June 27, 2024. (Daniel Mears/Detroit News via AP)

Cameron Young hits from the seventh tee during the second round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan, Friday, June 27, 2024. (Daniel Mears/Detroit News via AP)

Camilo Villegas hits the 18th green from the rough during the second round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan, Friday, June 27, 2024. (Daniel Mears/Detroit News via AP)