Akshay Bhatia has won the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational from the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida. The win was significant because the Arnold Palmer Invitational is a signature series and as a result of being in the winner’s circle, Bhatia moved up 20 spots in the Official World Golf Rankings. He climbed from 39th to 19th in the world.
Bhatia of Northridge, California won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in a playoff. He defeated Daniel Berger of Plantation, Florida. Both Bhatia and Berger shot a score of -15 during 72 holes of play. Then on the 73rd hole, Bhatia had a birdie and Berger had a par.
Over the four days, Bhatia had a first round score of two-under-par 70, a second round score of six-under-par 66, a third round score of four-under-par 68, and a fourth round score of three-under-par 69.
The key shot for Bhatia came on the 16th hole in the fourth round. There he posted a score of eagle as he had a score of three on a par five. Bhatia had a tee shot that went 320 yards, an approach shot that went 190 yards, and then had a very short little eagle putt of three feet.
For the second straight week we saw a collapse by the leader. Last week it was from Ireland’s Shane Lowry, and this week it was from Berger. After two rounds, Berger had a commanding five stroke lead over Bhatia, but it was a lead he could not protect.
This was Bhatia’s third career PGA title. He previously won the 2023 Barracuda Championship and the 2024 Valero Texas Open. All three of Bhatia’s wins have come in a playoff. In 2023, he beat Patrick Rodgers of Avon, Indiana, and in 2024, he beat Denny McCarthy of Takoma Park, Maryland.
