Akshay Bhatia produced a dazzling charge down the stretch to reel in Daniel Berger before snatching victory in a playoff at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida on Sunday.
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A gripping final-day duel at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando ended with Bhatia pocketing the third PGA Tour title ofhis career – all via playoffs — on the first sudden death hole.
Bhatia finished with a closing three-under-par 69, to finish tied on 15 under alongside Berger, who shot a final-round two-under-par70 for an aggregate 273.
The 24-year-old Bhatia had forced the playoff with an electrifying birdie spree over the back nine after trailing Berger byfour shots at the turn.
Bhatia, who claimed a $4 million ($5.7m AUD) for the win, had drifted off the pace with a bogey five on the par-four ninth, but responded to that setback with a brilliant run of four straight birdies to slice into Berger’s lead.
The highlight of that charge was a superb 57-foot birdie putt on the 11th, which he followed with birdies on the 12th and13th.
Berger’s lead shrank to one shot after a bogey on the 13th, but he increased his lead to two strokes with three holes to play after Bhatia bogeyed the 15th.
Once again though Bhatia conjured a response, this time with an eagle three on the par-five 16th, when he drilled his second shot to just under four feet for a simple tap in.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – MARCH 08: Akshay Bhatia of the United States celebratesSource: AFPORLANDO, FLORIDA – MARCH 08: Akshay Bhatia of the United States hugs caddie Joe Greiner.Source: AFP
Berger responded with a birdie and remained one shot clear with two to play, but his advantage evaporated with a bogey on17 to leave it all square going to the last.
A pair of pars sent it to a playoff and Bhatia immediately seized the initiative, following up a perfect tee shot to the middle of the fairway with a second to the center of the green.
Berger subsequently three-putted for bogey while Bhatia coolly completed a par to seal victory.
The pair were earlier at the centre of a slow play ruling after falling behind the clock. As noted by Golf.com, it sparked the unsual scene where Berger was forced to head to the next tee before Bhatia had even finished the 15th hole.
Bhatia, meanwhile. said his bogey on the ninth had been the catalyst for his charge after the turn.
“I missed that putt on nine, that was just a lack of focus. And then I just played with some anger for those couple holes,” he said.
“The putt on 11 was a huge bonus for me. That really switched my momentum. “Daniel played amazing. This game is so crazy,it’s been crazy for these last couple weeks … you just never know what can happen in this game,” he added.
Berger, who had been chasing a wire-to-wire victory after leading after each of the opening three rounds, took positives from his late defeat.
Akshay Bhatia, left, greets Daniel Berger at the 18th hole after winning his playoff in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.Source: APORLANDO, FLORIDA – MARCH 08: Akshay Bhatia of the United States kisses the trophy after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational.Source: Getty Images
“I’m proud of myself,” he said. “Obviously it didn’t go the way I wanted it to, but at the start of the week if you told meI would have a chance on the 18th hole to win Bay Hill, I would be ecstatic with that.
“So a lot of positives, a lot of things to learn from.” Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg finished tied for third alongside Cameron Young,three shots behind Bhatia and Berger on 12 under.
Collin Morikawa was fifth on 11 under after a closing 70, while Shaith Theegala, Russell Henley and Australia’s Min Woo Lee were a further shot back on 10 under in a tie for sixth.