ORLANDO, Fla. — Indian American golfer Akshay Bhatia staged a dramatic comeback Sunday to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational, rallying from five shots behind with nine holes remaining before defeating Daniel Berger in a playoff to secure the biggest victory of his career.
Bhatia forced the playoff after finishing regulation at 15-under par, then clinched the title on the first extra hole to capture the prestigious PGA TOUR event.
Another Indian American golfer, Sahith Theegala, also delivered a strong performance, finishing tied for sixth. The 28-year-old rebounded from a difficult third round of 3-over 75 with an impressive final-round 6-under 66 to close the tournament at 10-under par.
Bhatia, 24, surged on the back nine with an aggressive charge that included four consecutive birdies beginning at the 10th hole and a crucial eagle on the par-5 16th, allowing him to catch the leaders and force the playoff.
“If he was up there watching, he’s probably pretty proud of how that finished,” Bhatia said while wearing the red cardigan awarded to the tournament winner in honor of Arnold Palmer.
“Play bold — I think that was a big thing everyone knows of Mr. Palmer,” he said. “I could feel that energy and buzz. It was awesome. I’m very fortunate to win this tournament.”
Bhatia remained two shots behind with three holes to play before hitting a 6-iron close to the pin on the challenging par-5 16th, setting up the eagle that brought him within one stroke of the lead.
He also attacked the flag on the water-guarded 18th hole in regulation, narrowly missing another dramatic finish. Bhatia closed with a 3-under 69 and secured his third PGA TOUR victory, all of which have come in playoffs.
The win moves Bhatia into the top 20 in the world rankings as the golf season heads toward the Masters next month.
Berger had appeared poised to win after holding a four-shot lead at the turn, but his advantage slipped away after missing a seven-foot par putt on the 17th hole. He finished regulation with a 70 for a total of 15-under 273.
In the playoff, Berger pulled his drive but managed to reach the front edge of the green about 106 feet from the hole. His long putt rolled to seven feet, but he missed the par attempt that would have extended the playoff.
Bhatia played safely to the center of the green and calmly two-putted from just under 30 feet to secure the victory and the $4 million prize.
Down the stretch, Bhatia had strong support from fans known as “Arnie’s Army,” cheering him on during his late charge.
His comeback began with four straight birdies on the back nine, including a long putt from nearly 60 feet on the 11th hole. The momentum continued through the closing stretch, highlighted by the eagle on the 16th after his caddie, Joe Greiner, encouraged him to “try to hit the best 6-iron of your life.”
Berger had been attempting to become the first wire-to-wire winner at Bay Hill in a decade.
Earlier in the day, Bhatia and Berger had returned Sunday morning to complete the third round. Berger held a three-shot lead until the final hole, where he made bogey from the right rough while Bhatia sank a 10-foot birdie putt that lingered on the lip for nearly 10 seconds before dropping.
Cameron Young posted a bogey-free 69 to finish tied for third alongside Ludvig Aberg, who shot a 67.
Scottie Scheffler, meanwhile, carded a 73 after recording another double bogey on the 18th hole — his second in as many rounds — and finished tied for 24th. (Source: IANS)
