Daniel Berger was on-course to claim a fifth PGA Tour title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but a back nine charge from Akshay Bhatia resulted in the 24-year-old claiming the trophy via a par at the first playoff hole.
Going into the final day, Berger and Bhatia were among a handful of groups who had to return to complete their third rounds following a weather delay on Saturday.
Playing the 18th, Berger was three clear but, following a bogey from him and a birdie from Bhatia, it meant the former's lead was just one as the final round teed off in the afternoon.
Although the morning went Bhatia's way, the afternoon was certainly going Berger's who moved three clear and, at one point, as far as four strokes ahead as the back nine honed into view.
Thanks to a two-under 34, Berger held the advantage over the likes of Bhatia, Ludvig Aberg and Collin Morikawa, with the American searching for a first victory since the 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Playing defensively over the remaining nine holes, Berger's lead did drop to Bhatia, and it was a pivotal moment at the par 4 13th that proved to be the turning point.
Both men found the fairway, but Berger saw his second go into a greenside bunker, plugging in the process. Bhatia, meanwhile, found the green and, after watching Berger scramble a bogey, he rolled in his birdie attempt for a two shot swing.
Opening with four straight birdies on the back nine, momentum was on Bhatia's side, until a sloppy bogey at the 15th dropped him two strokes back of his playing partner with just three holes remaining.
That dropped shot didn't seem to affect the 24-year-old, though, who produced the "best 6-iron of his life," at the par 5 16th, with it nearly pitching in the hole for an albatross.
Although Berger responded, his eagle putt on the green missed, while Bhatia's didn't, dropping the advantage back to one, something that soon changed at the par 3 17th, when Berger three-putted for bogey.
All-square down the last, Bhatia made a solid par, while Berger was forced to hole a 13-footer just to match him, that meant we headed for the first playoff at Bay Hill since 1999.
Teeing off, Berger never looked settled and, after going left with his drive, Bhatia then found the fairway, with it being advantage to the latter after his approach found the green.
With Berger unable to replicate his incredible par in regulation play, Bhatia two-putted from 25-feet to claim a first Signature Event win and a third PGA Tour title, with all three of his victories coming via playoffs.
"I told Joe (my caddie) we shot four-under on the back nine yesterday, so why not again today? I missed the putt on the ninth and I ended up playing with some anger for those first couple of holes...
"Joe said on 16 'try and hit the best 6-iron of your life,' which I did. It was really cool. This game is so crazy. It was a perfect number and the wind died, so to have a kick-in eagle is always nice...
"To win for Mr Palmer, especially with what he's done for this community and tournament is really special. My niece passed away in December, so I knew she was looking over me this year and this win is for her."
Arnold Palmer Invitational Leaderboard
- -15 Akshay Bhatia (69)*
- -15 Daniel Berger (70)
- -12 Ludvig Aberg (67)
- -12 Cameron Young (69)
- -11 Collin Morikawa (70)
- -10 Sahith Theegala (66)
- -10 Russell Henley (68)
- -10 Min Woo Lee (70)
- -8 Rickie Fowler (70)
- -8 Harry Hall (70)
- -6 Adam Scott (70)
- -6 Jordan Spieth (71)
- -5 Billy Horschel (68)
- -5 Si Woo Kim (70)
- -5 Maverick McNealy (70)
- -5 Viktor Hovland (72)
- -5 Sepp Straka (76)
- -3 Max Greyserman (67)
- -3 Kurt Kitayama (71)
- -3 Jacob Bridgeman (72)
- -3 Jhonattan Vegas (73)
- -3 Bud Cauley (74)
-
-3 Chris Gotterup (76)
*victory at the first playoff hole
Updates from...
SEVEN HOLES REMAIN
The back nine is underway and, in the early stages, it's Daniel Berger's to lose as the American sits 15-under and three clear of Ludvig Aberg.
Berger's ball-striking has been excellent all week and, with a victory, he'd become the first wire-to-wire winner since Jason Day in 2016.
Parring the 11th, Berger is 15-under for the tournament and two-under for the day. He's in the final group alongside Akshay Bhatia, who has just birdied the 11th to move to 12-under.
AKSHAY MOVES WITHIN THREE
Nearly 60 feet for birdie 💥 Akshay Bhatia cuts into Daniel Berger's lead with a long birdie at the 11th @APInv. 📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/MbMabNGaAtMarch 8, 2026
CAMERON YOUNG JUMPS TO 12-UNDER
He's going about his business quietly on Sunday and, at the par 5 12th, Young finds a birdie following a great bunker shot.
The American moves alongside Aberg and Bhatia at 12-under, currently sharing second spot.
PAR FOR ABERG
A good two putt at the 14th from Aberg keeps him 12-under for the tournament, three shots back of Berger.
Speaking of the leader, he produces two excellent shots at the par 5 12th and leaves himself an eagle chance.
BIRDIES FOR THE FINAL GROUP
Both Bhatia and Berger birdie the par 5 12th, with Bhatia making a good up-and-down from 30-yards, while Berger two putts from 40-feet.
Score-wise, Bhatia is now solo second at 13-under, while Berger moves to 16-under, keeping his three shot advantage intact.
FAIRWAYS FOUND
Following their birdies at the 12th, both Bhatia and Berger find the fairway at the short par 4 13th, leaving full wedge shots in to the green.
MISTAKE FROM THE LEADER
He's been cruising today but, at the 13th, Berger pulls his approach left from the middle of the fairway and finds the greenside bunker.
It's a difficult shot coming up and, to make matters worse, Berger's golf ball is plugged! Going back towards the water, he might elect to go out sideways here...
WHAT'S GOING ON?
I don't quite believe that shot from Berger... Instead of opting to go towards the green, he's instead chipped it towards the rough and it's finished in the juicy stuff.
It's brought double bogey into play but, with his fourth, Berger plays it well, although it has run by around four-feet.
TWO SHOT SWING AT THE 13TH
Well, this has got interesting!
Bhatia hasn't been at the races today but, leaving 11-feet for birdie after his second at the 13th, the American rolls it in and jumps to 14-under.
Berger, meanwhile, has a four-footer for bogey to remain ahead, which he converts. His lead has gone from three to one, though, with Berger now 15-under.
AWAY FROM BAY HILL
Along with the Arnold Palmer Invitational, there's also the Puerto Rico Open going on this week on the PGA Tour.
It had been thrilling all-day but, in the end, it's Ricky Castillo who claims victory, his first on the circuit. The American finishes 17-under to earn a maiden title.
PARS AT THE 14TH
After that two stroke swing at the 13th, both Berger and Bhatia find the green at the par 3 14th, with both two-putting as Berger remains one clear of his playing partner.
SCENES AT THE 13TH
The lead is down to 1️⃣ Akshay Bhatia makes his 4th straight birdie after a bogey for Daniel Berger @APInv 📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/FxDNVB7gJBMarch 8, 2026
BIG BIRDIE MISS FOR LUDVIG
Aberg currently sits 12-under and, at the par 5 16th, misses a great look at birdie to move within two shots of the lead.
LEADERS ON THE 15TH
Bhatia finds the fairway at the 15th, while Berger's tee shot runs out of fairway.
Despite being in a better position, Bhatia comes up short and leaves a tricky chip. Berger, meanwhile, finds the center of the green and leaves a 25-footer for birdie.
EAGLE FOR MORIKAWA
The two-time Major winner produces the best approach of the day at the par 5 16th, with Morikawa's putt never leaving the hole.
It drops in for an eagle, with the American going from 10-under to 12-under. He's three back of Berger with two holes remaining.
BERGER MOVES TWO CLEAR
Bhatia has a tricky chip and, on the upslope, it digs in and comes up seven-foot short of the hole.
Berger, who found the green with his second, two putts for par and, with Bhatia needing to hole his putt to remain one back, the pressure is on the 24-year-old.
Taking the putter back, the ball bobbles and dives left. It's a bogey for Bhatia, who is now two back of Berger.
MISTAKE FROM YOUNG
Finding the green in two on the par 5 16th, Cameron Young plays an excellent long-range putt to just three-foot.
The birdie looks a formality for the American, but he never looks settled, eventually shoving his putt right and missing a great chance to move within two.
UNREAL FROM BHATIA
Wow! That is a phenomenal shot from Bhatia at the par 5 16th!
The pin is tucked up against the water and, from 190 yards out, Bhatia almost holes his approach for an albatross! He leaves himself just three-feet for eagle, putting the pressure on Berger in the process.
GREAT RESPONSE FROM THE LEADER
Fair play Berger, that is some response.
After watching Bhatia nearly hole his approach, Berger fires back with a dart of his own that finds the green, leaving 15-feet for eagle.
Excellent passage of golf from the final pair.
BERGER BIRDIES... AKSHAY EAGLES
How good was that from the final pair? Berger hits a great putt at the 16th, but it just slides by the right-side. It's a birdie for the leader, who moves to 16-under.
Bhatia, who produced arguably the shot of the day just then, has a three-footer for his eagle, which he duly rolls in to move to 15-under. He's now within one of his playing partner!
OUTRAGEOUS SHOT FROM AKSHAY
Akshay NEARLY jars it @APInv 🎯 3 feet left for eagle to tie 👀 pic.twitter.com/g6ON7pxaoPMarch 8, 2026
EXHIBITION GOLF
The final group are on the par 3 17th and up first is Bhatia, who plays a gorgeous 8-iron to around 18-foot, leaving a good look for birdie.
Berger needs to respond again, which he does via an excellent approach that just crawls over the back of the green.
Both will have looks for birdie coming up...
BOGEY AT THE LAST FOR MORIKAWA
A poor wedge shot at the 18th is followed by a three putt for Morikawa, who finishes 11-under and, currently, solo fifth.
HOW DID THAT NOT GO IN?
Bhatia hits another superb putt at the 17th but, somehow, it slides by the right-side. It looked in all the way, but misses low, leading to a tap-in par. He remains 14-under.
BERGER BOGEYS
Where did that come from? Berger runs his birdie putt by the hole at the 17th and, coming back, his par attempt goes right and stays right!
Berger makes bogey and falls back into a share of the lead with Bhatia at 15-under
ADVANTAGE BHATIA
Bhatia is first up at the 18th and, with a 3-wood, he finds the left-side of the fairway, leaving a good angle in for his approach.
Berger, meanwhile, has driven well today but, on the tee, he produces his worse swing of the weekend, finding the right rough.
ALL TIED AT THE TOP
All tied up on 18 @APInv 😳 pic.twitter.com/KIKwz6bOpuMarch 8, 2026
BERGER LAYS UP
The lie is not bad but, from 190 yards, Berger opts to lay up to around 70 yards of the flag.
BHATIA ALMOST FINDS THE WATER
This is getting intense!
The door is ajar for Bhatia and, with a wedge in his hand, the green light is there for the American... what follows is something we didn't expect though!
Striking his wedge, he pulls it right and it nearly goes into the water short of the green! Big break for Bhatia, who has a relatively simple chip coming up.
BERGER FINDS THE GREEN
Under the circumstances, that's pretty good from Berger, who puts his wedge into the heart of the green and leaves 15-feet to save par.
Bhatia has this chip to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational...
CHIP MISSED
It's a great effort from Bhatia, but his chip misses by inches.
It will be a par for the American, who will now wait to see what Berger does with his par putt.
BERGER MAKES HIS PUTT
What a par from Berger, who rolls in his 15-footer to match Bhatia!
Leaving a left-to-right putt with plenty of movement, Berger's attempt catches enough of the hole to drop in the back.
That par means we head to a playoff, the first since 1999 at Bay Hill
TAKE A BOW DANIEL BERGER
PAR SAVED 💪Daniel Berger drains it from 13 feet out to send it to a playoff @APInv pic.twitter.com/OSOOueQxI9March 8, 2026
PLAYOFF FORMAT
Daniel Berger and Akshay Bhatia enter a sudden death playoff in the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, the eighth playoff in tournament history and first since 1999.Playoff holes: 18, 18, 16, 17, 18March 8, 2026
PLAYOFF TIME
We're back on the 18th and it's Berger who will lead us off.
He's played the last hole poorly this week and, stepping up with driver, he goes left and into the rough. That looked nervy, hence why it went the opposite way to that of regulation play.
Bhatia's turn now and, with a driver, he plays a delightful cut to the center of the fairway. It misses the divots and will hand him the advantage with the approach shots.
GREAT SHOT FROM BERGER
From 212-yards, Berger gouges a long iron out of the rough and finds the left-side of the green. It's a lengthy putt coming up, but it's an exceptional effort from the American.
ADVANTAGE BHATIA
What a response from Bhatia.
From 170-yards, the 24-year-old doesn't engage the flag, instead he goes left of it and finds the heart of the green.
He will have around 25-foot to the hole, while Berger is over 100-foot away on the edge of the green.
NOT BAD FROM BERGER
Giving his putt a good whack, Berger's attempt is on a great line and is rolling toward the flag. It's short, but only by seven-foot. He will, likely, have that for the tie.
BHATIA NARROWLY MISSES
Great effort from Bhatia, whose birdie attempt from 25-foot just slides by the high-side. It rolls three foot by the hole.
BERGER MISSES
He can't do it again! Berger's par attempt is always low and doesn't threaten the hole. It's a bogey for the American, who now waits for Bhatia.
AKSHAY BHATIA WINS THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL
FINAL MOMENTS
Watching Berger miss from seven-feet, Bhatia has three-feet exactly to win his first Signature Event.
He's been the best putter in the field and, at the first playoff hole, Bhatia makes no mistake, shoving the putt into the back of the hole to win the title!
THE WINNING MOMENT
Coming up clutch in the playoff @APInv 🏆 pic.twitter.com/AptsZcuiWZMarch 8, 2026
A WIN AT ARNIE'S PLACE
