Following a 14th-place finish at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, professional golfer Akshay Bhatia and his fiancée Presleigh Schultz remained on the islands for a far more personal reason. The couple, who have become a beloved pair in the golf community, tied the knot at the nearby Abaco Club, turning their competitive travel week into a lifelong memory.
In the days following the ceremony, newly released photos of their wedding weekend circulated. The pictures highlighted the joyful celebrations shared among family and close friends.
Yet, before they allowed the world to see inside their magical wedding, the couple paused to share something deeply emotional and heartbreakingly personal. News that reshaped the meaning of their wedding day forever.
Family Heartbreak
Prior to celebrating their marriage publicly, both Bhatia and Schultz revealed through Instagram that the on the morning of their wedding, Bhatia’s beloved niece, Mia, had passed away.
Schultz posted a serene photo of the Bahamian horizon and wrote a heartfelt tribute:
“Before we celebrate our love, we must first honor a life. On the morning of our wedding, Akshay’s niece, Mia, went to be with the angels.”
“The night before, she was surrounded by everyone who loved her wrapped in peace, comfort, and so much love. It was heartbreaking, beautiful, and impossible to fully understand all at once. Mia lived with PDCD, a very rare disease, and doctors never expected her to live past her first birthday. But she defied every expectation and celebrated her sixth birthday this year. She was strong, joyful, and deeply loved. In her final moments, she was in paradise and now she is in heaven.”
“Something that feels both extraordinary and comforting: each home at the club has its own name, and the one Mia stayed in was called Heaven on Earth.”
The couple ended their message honoring Mia’s legacy, writing:
“We carry her with us always.”
Their decision to move forward with their wedding ceremony, while holding such grief in their hearts, shows not only their strength but the deep unity within their families.
The Couple
Bhatia and Schultz announced their engagement in September 2023, but their connection goes back further. They first met in 2021 during the Valero Texas Open after Akshay reached out to Presleigh on social media.
”I was playing in Valero Texas Open so I was like ‘Hey, let’s meet up.’ You know, she’s never watched golf. Her little brother plays a little bit, but didn’t really know what was going on. And, so we met there and now she’s caddying in my first Korn Ferry event as a member, which is awesome.”
What started as a simple meeting turned into a partnership that followed Bhatia through early professional struggles and career-changing victories. Schultz even caddied for him during his first Korn Ferry Tour start as a member, an experience that strengthened their bond both on and off the course.
Their relationship continued to grow through Bhatia’s rising PGA Tour career. In 2023, he won the Barracuda Championship, an emotional win that he credited partly to Schultz’s influence.
“She’s been through it all with me,” he said after the victory. “I couldn’t imagine my life without her. I couldn’t imagine being on this journey without her by my side.”
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