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Bhatia beats Berger in Bay Hill golf playoff
AP • March 9th, 2026 12:20 pm
Akshay Bhatia has produced a stirring comeback to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational | Photo: AP
Akshay Bhatia has produced a stunning comeback and playoff victory to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational PGA Tour event.
Bhatia started his back-nine charge with four successive birdies and nearly holed his 6-iron that went right at the flag on the par-5 16th.
He eventually secured a playoff against Daniel Berger, and produced a par on the first extra hole to win at Bay Hill.
"You just never know what can happen in this game," Bhatia said after he closed with a 3-under 69 and won his third PGA Tour title, all of them in playoffs.
This was the biggest, a NZ$33.2 million signature event that moves the 24-year-old into the top 20 in the world at the start of a big stretch in golf that concludes with the Masters next month.
New Zealand's Ryan Fox finished tied for 12th on 2-under through the tournament - alongside the likes of Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler and Nicolai Højgaard - carding four birdies including three consecutive between holes 6 and 8 during the fourth round.
Berger looked like he had the tournament won on Sunday, walking confidently after building a four-shot lead at the turn. He lost the lead by missing a 7-foot par putt on the 17th hole and showed plenty of moxie just to get into the playoff with an up-and-down from 70 yards for par on the final hole for a 70.
Berger and Bhatia finished at 15-under 273 and went to the first playoff at Bay Hill since 1999.
Berger, who has lost big chunks of time in recent years with a back injury and then a broken finger suffered last August, was trying to become the first wire-to-wire winner at Bay Hill in 10 years.
"It's tough to win. It's tough to battle," he said. "A shot here or there was the difference."
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