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Signature Scroll
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The Five: Biggest takeaways from Arnold Palmer Invitational
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Written by Paul Hodowanic
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What a wild day at Bay Hill. Akshay Bhatia is your winner. Let’s talk about it …
As Akshay Bhatia rolled in a testy bogey putt on the first hole and another nervy par putt on the second Sunday at Bay Hill, a memory of the 2023 Rocket Classic hit me. It was there that I remember talking to Bhatia, then in the throes of a debilitating year on the greens, about his acclimation to the TOUR. He was trying everything to find success with the putter. That week, he was testing the red-hot Odyssey Jailbird, and although others were succeeding with the model, he couldn’t figure it out.
At this point, Bhatia had not won on TOUR and he wasn’t a member yet. He was pursuing status through Special Temporary Membership, but doubts were beginning to creep in about whether that was the right path.
“Should I be somewhere else on the Korn Ferry Tour and not here?” Bhatia said to me. “I am trying to change my perspective because after Colonial and Memorial and RBC (Canadian Open). I felt like being on the PGA TOUR is the worst thing in the world.”
Oh, how far away that feels. Bhatia settled on a broomstick-style putter later that fall, and it’s not hyperbolic to say that changed his career trajectory. He went from 183rd in putting in 2023 to a top-35 putter each of the last two seasons. As much attention as Scottie Scheffler has received for his putting improvement, Bhatia’s progression is just as dramatic. At Bay Hill this week, he led the field in putting. It was the only thing keeping him alive for parts of Sunday, countering his shaky performance off the tee. But the rest of his game caught up, and Bhatia shot the back nine of his life, making four birdies and an eagle to push Berger to a playoff. In that stretch, Bhatia holed two 8-footers, an 11-footer and a 58-foot bomb. Then at the 16th, he hit the 6-iron of his life (his words) for a tap-in eagle. He had a chance to win it in regulation, with his birdie try just sneaking by, but par was enough to win it in the playoff.
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Akshay Bhatia pars first playoff hole to win Arnold Palmer
Now it’s time to reassess Bhatia’s trajectory. Still just 24 years old, Bhatia’s potential is fascinating. When he’s going good, his ball-striking and shot-making make him a threat on the TOUR’s toughest tests, but this week was a reminder that his putting can anchor him, too. For some reason, Bhatia’s potential has gone under-appreciated by the sheer fact that it’s not new. We’ve been with Bhatia since 2023, and his constant presence has seemed to dull the idea that he is the “next big thing.” Except the future is now. No need to wait. I wouldn’t have believed that while he was nearly moved to tears talking about his struggles in Detroit a few years ago. He believed, though. Bhatia is a three-time PGA TOUR winner.
🎥 Want more from Round 4? Here are the full highlights …🏴 Berger may have come up short at Bay Hill, but he earned a spot in The Open Championship via the Open Qualifying Series …🏆 Ricky Castillo is the winner in Puerto Rico. How did it happen?
It was a disheartening final round for Berger, who should come away with more positives than negatives despite the blown lead. This was not what happened last week to Shane Lowry. Bhatia won this tournament more than Berger lost it.
Still, it will sting for Berger, who led by two strokes with three holes to play and hasn’t won since 2021, well before the Signature Event era. When the elevated events were created, Berger was sidelined with a debilitating back injury, and when he finally returned after 18 months away, he wasn’t in any of them. The last two years have been a slow build back. He barely kept his card in 2024, needing a good week at the season-ending The RSM Classic to maintain full status. He took a further step in 2025, notching two top-three finishes en route to a spot in the top 50 and guaranteed starts in Signature Events. Now, he’s contending in the biggest events again. It’s a reminder that if you’re talented enough, you’ll get where you’re meant to be.
Daniel Berger hits 188-yard approach to 19 feet, sets up birdie on No. 16 at Arnold Palmer
It also made me think back to this quote of Berger’s during the 2024 RSM Classic, the week he was playing for his card.
“It doesn’t really concern me,” Berger said of the top-125 battle he faced, “because when I play 1/10th of what I’m capable of, I’m at a level that’s – it’s going to sound terrible, but I think I’m just at a different level than some of the other guys I’m competing against.”
In addition to being an elite ball-striker, Berger is also one of the TOUR’s most self-assured. He lacks no confidence and when that confidence lines up with his best form, you get results like Bay Hill. A small consolation prize for Berger: He’s into The Open Championship with his finish, and he’s likely to be in more majors. He will improve greatly from where he entered the week: No. 61.
🤔 Wrote about it earlier this week, but Scottie Scheffler’s average iron play continues. Typically, the best part of his game, he’s been off the last two weeks. He hasn’t had a single round in the top 20 of Strokes Gained: Approach. Is it a long-term concern? No. Could it impact his ability to win THE PLAYERS next week? That I’m willing to entertain. 🇸🇪 Ludvig Åberg is rounding into form at just the right time. It was a struggle for the first few weeks, but he’s put together seven straight superb rounds. He finished T3 at Bay Hill. Notably, his iron play was a weapon this week. That’s the key to unlocking his full potential. ☀️ Massively impressive performance from Blades Brown down in Puerto Rico. The 18-year-old (!) briefly held the lead on the back nine on Sunday. He would’ve been the youngest TOUR winner in the modern era. This is another step in his progression after contending at The American Express earlier this year. He’s a full Korn Ferry Tour member. Bright future ahead.
We’re onto THE PLAYERS. We will have newsletters daily starting on Thursday from TPC Sawgrass. It’s the biggest event of the year thus far, and we’ve got tons of fun stuff planned. Rest up and get ready!
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Mar 8, 2026
Five things to know heading into Sunday at Bay HillLatest
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