Bhatia tops Berger to win 48th Arnold Palmer Invitational in playoff

[ASFN Admin]

Akshay Bhatia beat Daniel Berger on the first playoff hole Sunday afternoon to win the 48th Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge.

This was the first playoff at the API since 1999. Bhatia has now won three times on the PGA Tour and all three of his wins have come on the first hole of a playoff.

All three of Akshay Bhatia's PGA TOUR titles have come in a playoff where he won on the first hole:

2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (def. Daniel Berger)

2024 Valero Texas Open (def. Denny McCarthy)

2023 Barracuda Championship (def. Patrick Rodgers)

— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) March 8, 2026

Akshay Bhatia wins his 3rd PGA Tour event and all of them came in a playoff on the first hole.

Never led until the 73rd hole. pic.twitter.com/aVkKibzsmA

— Alex Walker (@AlexWalkerTV) March 8, 2026

Bhatia started the final round down by one stroke and he trailed by five strokes with nine holes left, but shot a 31 on the back nine to force a playoff.

He birdied four straight holes and eagled No. 16 to close the gap.

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