Akshay Bhatia rallies from 5 back to win Arnold Palmer Invitational

The 24-year-old lefty shot a back-nine 31 to catch Daniel Berger, then won in a playoff to collect his third PGA Tour title.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Akshay Bhatia, a 24-year-old lefty, rallied from a five-stroke deficit in the final round to force a sudden-death playoff against Daniel Berger at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Bhatia then sank a three-foot par putt on the first extra hole to win his third career PGA Tour title and first in a signature event.

Why it matters

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is one of the PGA Tour's signature events, and winning it is a career-defining moment. Bhatia's come-from-behind victory, reminiscent of Palmer's own late-charging style, is sure to raise his profile and cement his status as one of the rising young stars on tour.

The details

Berger, who opened with a 63 and led after each of the first three rounds, seemed destined to win until an early-morning two-shot swing set up Bhatia's day. Bhatia reeled off four straight birdies on the back nine to climb within a shot, then hit what he called 'the best 6-iron of his life' at the par-5 16th to set up an eagle. Berger bogeyed the 17th, leaving them tied at the end of regulation. In the playoff, Berger's putter betrayed him, and Bhatia calmly sank the winning par putt.

  • Bhatia rolled in a 15-footer for birdie on the par-4 18th hole in the third round, while Berger failed to save par from 10 feet.
  • Berger took a six-foot birdie putt on the first hole of the final round, while Bhatia bogeyed from a fairway bunker.

The players

Akshay Bhatia

A 24-year-old left-handed professional golfer who earned his third career PGA Tour title with the come-from-behind victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Daniel Berger

A 32-year-old professional golfer from Florida who held the lead for most of the tournament but was unable to close out the win, finishing runner-up.

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What they’re saying

“To win this event, to win for Mr. Palmer, for what he's done for this community, for this tournament … everyone knows when you show up to Bay Hill it's going to be a test and to play one of the hardest golf courses. To succeed is really cool.”

— Akshay Bhatia (Yahoo Sports)

“Obviously, it didn't go the way I wanted it to, but at the start of the week if you told me I would have a chance on the 18th hole to win Bay Hill, I would be ecstatic with that.”

— Daniel Berger (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

Bhatia's victory is expected to propel him into the top 20 in the world rankings, putting him on track to qualify for the Masters tournament.

The takeaway

Bhatia's come-from-behind victory, reminiscent of Arnold Palmer's own late-charging style, is a testament to his resilience and ability to perform under pressure. The win on one of the PGA Tour's most iconic courses is sure to raise his profile and cement his status as one of the rising young stars in the sport.