Akshay Bhatia surged with four straight birdies and defeated Daniel Berger in a playoff to capture the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational delivered another unforgettable Sunday at Bay Hill, and this time it was Akshay Bhatia who delivered the bold finish Arnold Palmer himself would have admired.

Bhatia stormed back on the back nine with a flurry of birdies before defeating Daniel Berger in a sudden-death playoff to capture the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational, one of the PGA TOUR’s premier $20 million signature events.

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The 24-year-old left-hander fired a 3-under 69, finishing at 15-under 273 and securing his third PGA TOUR victory — all coming in playoff fashion. The win also vaults Bhatia into the top 20 in the world rankings, perfectly timed as the golf calendar builds toward the Masters next month.

“You just never know what can happen in this game,” Bhatia said after slipping into the iconic red cardigan awarded to the tournament champion.

The final round looked like Berger’s tournament for most of the afternoon.

The veteran built a four-shot lead at the turn and appeared in complete control as he marched through Bay Hill’s demanding layout. But momentum flipped quickly when Bhatia caught fire.

Starting on the 10th hole, Bhatia rattled off four consecutive birdies, including a stunning, nearly 60-foot putt on the 11th that electrified the gallery and ignited the comeback.

“Everyone knows when you show up to Bay Hill it’s going to be a test,” Bhatia said.

The tournament’s most breathtaking moment came at the par-5 16th hole, where the flag sat dangerously close to the water. Following a suggestion from his caddie, Bhatia unleashed a towering 6-iron that nearly dropped for eagle, stopping just feet from the hole.

“Just try to hit the best 6-iron of your life,” caddie Joe Greiner told him before the shot.

Bhatia responded with a near-perfect strike.

“It was one of those professional pushes,” Bhatia explained. “I wasn’t trying to aim at the flag.”

The shot set up a simple eagle and vaulted him directly into contention.

Berger refused to fold, however. After briefly losing the lead, he produced a clutch up-and-down from 70 yards on the 18th hole to force the first playoff at Bay Hill since 1999.

But the playoff belonged to Bhatia.

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Berger’s par attempt slid weakly past the cup, opening the door for Bhatia to calmly two-putt from just under 30 feet to seal the victory and claim the $4 million winner’s prize.

Berger remained proud of his fight despite the narrow defeat.

“It’s tough to win. It’s tough to battle,” he said. “A shot here or there was the difference.”

On this Sunday at Bay Hill, that difference belonged to Bhatia.