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Sunday, November 15, 2026Nov 15

Golf roundup: Akshay Bhatia wins Arnold Palmer Invitational in playoff

AP photo by Matt Slocum / Akshay Bhatia holds his trophy Sunday after winning the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational in a playoff against Daniel Berger at Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Fla.
AP photo by Matt Slocum / Akshay Bhatia holds his trophy Sunday after winning the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational in a playoff against Daniel Berger at Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Fla.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Akshay Bhatia missed a 30-inch par putt to fall five shots behind Sunday in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which made him angry enough to want to do something about it.

What followed was a charge on the back nine at Bay Hill Club that would have made the King proud.

“You must play boldly to win,” was one of Palmer’s famous quotes.

Bhatia was every bit of that.

Four straight birdies got him into the mix. Two shots behind with three to play, he hit 6-iron shot to a dangerous pin on the par-5 16th that nearly sent the ball into the cup on the second bounce and set up a short eagle to stay in the game.