Akshay Bhatia produced a remarkable performance to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
The American defeated Daniel Berger on the first playoff hole after the pair finished tied at 15-under-par.
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Bhatia’s victory was built on a stunning short game display across the week on one of the toughest courses on the PGA Tour.
In doing so, he broke a remarkable record previously held by Patrick Reed.
Akshay Bhatia’s short game breaks PGA Tour record
Akshay Bhatia’s win at Bay Hill came after a dramatic final day that saw the tournament swing back and forth.
Daniel Berger appeared to be in complete control during the final round, holding a five-shot lead after nine holes on Sunday. But Bhatia stayed patient and gradually worked his way back into contention.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
The pair eventually finished tied at 15-under-par, forcing a playoff at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Bhatia then secured the title with a par on the first extra hole.
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An extraordinary short game performance underpinned his victory. Bhatia gained 16.3 strokes with his short game (around the green and putting) across the week.
That figure represents the most strokes gained with the short game in a PGA Tour victory during the ShotLink era.
This surpassed the previous record of 15.0 set by Patrick Reed at the 2020 WGC-Mexico Championship.
Akshay Bhatia shares emotional reaction after Arnold Palmer Invitational win
Bhatia admitted it meant a great deal to win at Bay Hill, one of the most demanding venues on the PGA Tour schedule.
“Yeah, it’s amazing… Everyone knows when you show up to Bay Hill, it’s going to be a test and to play one of the hardest golf courses,” he reflected.
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“And to succeed is really cool, and I can’t thank the tournament enough, can’t thank Callaway enough.”
The American also revealed that the victory carried deep personal meaning.
“And my niece passed away in December, and so I knew she was looking over me this year, and I made this win for her, for sure.”
The emotional moment capped a remarkable week for Bhatia, who combined resilience and a record-breaking short game to secure the biggest win of his career.
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