Akshay Bhatia’s patience paid off Sunday morning at Bay Hill, watching his birdie putt take one final turn before dropping on the 18th hole. That clutch putt cut Daniel Berger’s lead to just one shot as they finished their rain-delayed third round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The players returned to complete two holes after Saturday’s play was suspended due to darkness following a rain delay. Berger, who had built a comfortable cushion, two-putted from 35 feet for birdie on the par-5 16th to stretch his advantage to three shots.
But momentum shifted at the closing hole. Berger’s tee shot strayed right into the rough, forcing him to lay up. His wedge approach stopped 10 feet from the hole, and the par putt slid by, resulting in an even-par 72.
Bhatia, meanwhile, created some drama when his birdie attempt stopped tantalizingly on the cup’s edge. After a brief stare-down and a walk to the hole for a closer look, he was rewarded when gravity finally took over. That birdie capped a solid 68.
Berger sits at 13-under 203 heading into Sunday afternoon’s final round, with Bhatia just one back. They’ll be paired together in the final group.
Cameron Young, Collin Morikawa and Sepp Straka lurk four shots behind Berger, keeping plenty of possibilities in play. That’s typical at Bay Hill, where five of the last six tournaments have been decided by a single stroke. The course’s notoriously firm and fast greens – typically the most challenging of the Florida swing – should ensure another dramatic finish.
