Akshay Bhatia holds the championship trophy after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill golf tournament Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

ORLANDO, Fla. — Akshay Bhatia missed a 30-inch par putt to fall five shots behind Sunday in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, angry enough to want to do something about it. What followed was a charge on the back nine at Bay Hill 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 to a dangerous pin on the par-5 16th that nearly went into the cup on the second bounce and set up a short eagle to stay in the game.

And then he outlasted Daniel Berger in the first playoff at Bay Hill since 1999 — three years before Bhatia was born — to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational in a stunning comeback.

“If he was up there watching, he’s probably pretty proud of how that finished,” said Bhatia, wearing the red cardigan that goes to the winner of Palmer’s tournament.

“Play bold — I think that was a big thing everyone knows of Mr. Palmer,” he said. “I could feel that energy and buzz. It was awesome. I’m very fortunate to win this tournament.”

Bhatia, who also took on the flag over the rock-framed water on the 18th in regulation and nearly pulled it off, closed with a 3-under 69 and won his third PGA Tour title, all of them in playoffs.

This was the biggest, a $20 million signature event that moves the 24-year-old into the top 20 in the world at the start of a big stretch in golf that concludes with the Masters next month.

Elsewhere:

– Jon Rahm of Spain closed with a 6-under 64 to win LIV Golf Hong Kong on Sunday for his first individual title since 2024. Rahm finished at 23-under 257, three shots ahead of Thomas Detry. The Spaniard hadn’t won a title since LIV Golf Chicago in 2024, though he won the season points title each of the last two years on the Saudi-funded league.

– Mi Hyang Lee threw away her lead with two double bogeys on the front nine, and then delivered a winner on the final hole Sunday with a lob wedge that hit the pin and set up a tap-in birdie to win the Blue Bay LPGA by one shot.

– Ricky Castillo made back-to-back birdies right after 18-year-old Blades Brown came undone with one bad hole, closing with a 5-under 67 on Sunday to win the Puerto Rico Open for his first PGA Tour title.

– Dan Bradbury of England hit a beautiful chip from behind the 18th green to save par Sunday for a 5-under 65 and a one-shot victory in the Joburg Open, his second time winning the tournament and third European tour title.

– Football Hall of Fame Invitational.