Bhatia charges late to win Bay Hill in playoff

Akshay Bhatia won the Arnold Palmer Invitational with bold play that would have made “The King” proud.

The 24-year-old Wake Forest resident made four straight birdies and pulled off a risky shot to make a crucial eagle Sunday before beating faltering Daniel Berger in a playoff at Bay Hill Club in Orlando. Bhatia bogeyed 15 to go with the birdies and eagle — to shoot 31 on the back side.

Bhatia and Berger tied at 13-under-par 275. Cameron Young and Ludvig Aberg tied for third at 278.

Bhatia’s final-round 69 included birdies on Nos. 10 through 13. At the par-5 16th, he hit his second shot to a tight pin only 3 1/2 feet from the cup. Berger’s 70 included a bogey at the par-3 17th. He lost with a bogey on the first playoff hole.

For Bhatia, who took home $4 million for the triumph,  it was his third top 6 finish in the young season and fourth in the top 16.