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Akshay Bhatia rode an Arnold Palmer-like back-nine charge for a breakthrough win, but needed a late-round stumble by 54-hole leader Daniel Berger to prevail Sunday during a sudden-death playoff at Bay Hill Club & Lodge.
Bhatia parred No. 18 to win the first API decided by extra holes since 1999 and stun Berger. The former Florida State Seminole seeking his first win since 2021 led the tournament from the opening round until the 71st hole Sunday.
After Berger missed a par putt from just inside 8 feet, Bhatia calmly sank a 3-footer to complete a two-putt from 27 feet. He became the first sudden-death winner at Bay Hill since Tim Herron defeated Tom Lehman on the second playoff hole 27 years ago.
No current PGA Tour event had gone longer without a playoff.
After his winning putt, Bhatia celebrated with caddie Joe Greiner. He then embraced his wife, Presleigh, and gave her a kiss at the front of the 18th green near the water hazard her husband nearly had found the first time he played the hole Sunday.
Bhatia, who turned 24 Jan. 31, has been among the game’s top young talents for some time. He made his first PGA Tour start in 2019 at the age of 17 during the Valspar Championship in the Tampa area.
Bhatia entered the week with wins at the 2023 Barracuda Championship, an opposite-field event to the Open Championship, and the 2024 Valero Texas Open.
The API title moves Bhatia to another level in the game. Ranked No. 39 in the world rankings, he’ll move inside the top 25 for the first time in his young career.
Bhatia, though, needed help from Berger to pick up the win and a $4 million check. The golfers entered the playoff tied at 15-under 273 total.
A clutch par-saving putt from inside 14 feet on the 18th hole forced a playoff and prevented Berger from handing the trophy to Bhatia in regulation.
Looking to join Fred Couples (1992) and Jason Day (2016) as the only wire-to-wire winners at Bay Hill, Berger bogeyed the par-3 17th hole to fall into a tie with Bhatia after leading the tournament for 70 holes.
Berger’s 7-iron went off the back of the green at the 184-yard hole guarded by water. Opting for a putter out of the first cut behind the green, Berger ran the ball past the hole by 8 feet and missed the comeback putt.
Bhatia’s putt inside 20 feet just ran out of steam and burned the right edge of the cup for a par.
Berger’s tee shot on final hole into the thick rough right of the fairway forced a layup to 70 yards. Next up from 166 yards, Bhatia hit a towering iron that just cleared the water and rocks guarding the green settled into the immediate rough just inside 20 feet.
Berger’s pitch caught the slope and trickled to within makeable range to set up a clutch par. Bhatia’s chip set up a gimme to force a playoff and complete a 5-under 31 over the final nine holes.
All seemed lost for Bhatia who trailed Berger by 5 shots at the turn. An iron shot from the fairway into the water on the par-5 6th led a bogey. A missed par putt from inside 3 feet followed a 7-footer by Berger for birdie as Bhatia was 2-over nine holes into the final round.
But Bhatia opened the back nine with four straight birdies. He followed a bogey 5 at No. 15 with an eagle at the par-5 16th, which Berger birdied to hold a one-shot advantage.
Sunday effectively was a two-man race between the Berger-Bhatia final pairing, with Berger a shot ahead of Bhatia and no one else withing four of the lead.
Several golfers gave chase, but none could summon a memorable moment to move firmly the mix.
A fast start by Ludvig Åberg featured four birdies on his opening seven holes. He followed a bogey 5 on No. 9 with a birdie 3 on No. 10. But after a birdie on the par-5 12th, Åberg parred in for a final-round 67 and tie for third with Cameron Young at 12-under par.
Young had his chances. But he missed birdie putts of 8 feet on No. 8, just inside 10 feet on No. 14 and inside 3 feet on No. 16 as he carded a 69.
Collin Morikawa finished 11-under after a 72rd hole bogey to finished in solo fifth.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at [email protected].
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Bhatia parred No. 18 to win the first API decided by extra holes since 1999 and stun Berger. The former Florida State Seminole seeking his first win since 2021 led the tournament from the opening round until the 71st hole Sunday.
After Berger missed a par putt from just inside 8 feet, Bhatia calmly sank a 3-footer to complete a two-putt from 27 feet. He became the first sudden-death winner at Bay Hill since Tim Herron defeated Tom Lehman on the second playoff hole 27 years ago.
No current PGA Tour event had gone longer without a playoff.
After his winning putt, Bhatia celebrated with caddie Joe Greiner. He then embraced his wife, Presleigh, and gave her a kiss at the front of the 18th green near the water hazard her husband nearly had found the first time he played the hole Sunday.
Bhatia, who turned 24 Jan. 31, has been among the game’s top young talents for some time. He made his first PGA Tour start in 2019 at the age of 17 during the Valspar Championship in the Tampa area.
Bhatia entered the week with wins at the 2023 Barracuda Championship, an opposite-field event to the Open Championship, and the 2024 Valero Texas Open.
The API title moves Bhatia to another level in the game. Ranked No. 39 in the world rankings, he’ll move inside the top 25 for the first time in his young career.
Bhatia, though, needed help from Berger to pick up the win and a $4 million check. The golfers entered the playoff tied at 15-under 273 total.
A clutch par-saving putt from inside 14 feet on the 18th hole forced a playoff and prevented Berger from handing the trophy to Bhatia in regulation.
Looking to join Fred Couples (1992) and Jason Day (2016) as the only wire-to-wire winners at Bay Hill, Berger bogeyed the par-3 17th hole to fall into a tie with Bhatia after leading the tournament for 70 holes.
Berger’s 7-iron went off the back of the green at the 184-yard hole guarded by water. Opting for a putter out of the first cut behind the green, Berger ran the ball past the hole by 8 feet and missed the comeback putt.
Bhatia’s putt inside 20 feet just ran out of steam and burned the right edge of the cup for a par.
Berger’s tee shot on final hole into the thick rough right of the fairway forced a layup to 70 yards. Next up from 166 yards, Bhatia hit a towering iron that just cleared the water and rocks guarding the green settled into the immediate rough just inside 20 feet.
Berger’s pitch caught the slope and trickled to within makeable range to set up a clutch par. Bhatia’s chip set up a gimme to force a playoff and complete a 5-under 31 over the final nine holes.
All seemed lost for Bhatia who trailed Berger by 5 shots at the turn. An iron shot from the fairway into the water on the par-5 6th led a bogey. A missed par putt from inside 3 feet followed a 7-footer by Berger for birdie as Bhatia was 2-over nine holes into the final round.
But Bhatia opened the back nine with four straight birdies. He followed a bogey 5 at No. 15 with an eagle at the par-5 16th, which Berger birdied to hold a one-shot advantage.
Sunday effectively was a two-man race between the Berger-Bhatia final pairing, with Berger a shot ahead of Bhatia and no one else withing four of the lead.
Several golfers gave chase, but none could summon a memorable moment to move firmly the mix.
A fast start by Ludvig Åberg featured four birdies on his opening seven holes. He followed a bogey 5 on No. 9 with a birdie 3 on No. 10. But after a birdie on the par-5 12th, Åberg parred in for a final-round 67 and tie for third with Cameron Young at 12-under par.
Young had his chances. But he missed birdie putts of 8 feet on No. 8, just inside 10 feet on No. 14 and inside 3 feet on No. 16 as he carded a 69.
Collin Morikawa finished 11-under after a 72rd hole bogey to finished in solo fifth.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at [email protected].
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