Bhatia moved past Daniel Berger and into the biggest victory of his career, becoming the eighth PGA Tour player to win his first three tournaments in playoffs



One of golf's budding stars ultimately shone brightest across four rounds of action at the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational as Akshay Bhatia battled a wayward driver and a world-class field en route to the most substantial victory of his young career. Bhatia finished his week at Bay Hill Club & Lodge at 15 under, edging 18-, 36- and 54-hole leader Daniel Berger on the first playoff hole.

The playoff was the first held at the Arnold Palmer Invitational since 1999, three years before its new champion was born. Bhatia became the eighth PGA Tour player in history to win his first three tournaments in playoffs, improving to 3-0 in extra holes for his young career.

Bhatia and Berger went to the 72nd hole tied at 15 under. Bhatia made a relatively stress-free par, while Berger got up-and-down from 70 yards to force extra holes. Opening the playoff, Bhatia once again found the fairway while Berger hit into the left rough. Berger was unable to conjure up the same magic from regulation, carding a bogey and giving way to Bhatia's tournament-sealing par.

The wiry left-hander's arrow continues to point up as his third PGA Tour trophy marks his first signature event victory. Bhatia previously held a substantial lead over the weekend at the first signature event of the season, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, before ultimately squandering a 54-hole lead on the West Coast.

Bhatia bounces up to No. 2 in the FedEx Cup standings behind only Collin Morikawa.

Berger and Bhatia were forced to return to the golf course Sunday morning to finish their third rounds. Bhatia made inroads as he dropped in a birdie over the edge of the cup on the par-4 18th, while Berger made bogey to make the eventual champion's 54-hole deficit just a single stroke.

The two returned in the same pairing in the afternoon, where Bhatia was the first to blink with an opening bogey. The back-and-forth came in waves all day as runs were materialized by those out in front of them on the course, such as Morikawa, Ludvig Åberg and Cameron Young.

Despite the barrage of birdies from their peers, it was Berger who made the turn with a commanding four-stroke lead as Bhatia struggled to find fairway -- as he did all week -- and finally ran into his fair share of bogeys, carding three on his front nine.

However, once the final two made the turn, the tides moved with them. Bhatia made birdies on Nos. 10-12 to cut Berger's lead to three before a monumental two-shot swing came on the par-4 13th as Berger made bogey and Bhatia once again rolled in a beauty from 10 feet.

The lead expanded once more to two strokes when Bhatia made bogey on the next, but he more than made up for it with a laser approach into the par-5 16th that nearly resulted in an albatross. He instead settled for an eagle, and when Berger scored bogey on the par-3 17th, the two were tied going to the last hole.

While Bhatia appeared to have the upper hand in regulation, he had to wait a few minutes longer to cash in on what is sure to be the first of many big-time wins in the young man's career.

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Posted by Temmy
Mon, March 09, 2026 4:23pm