ORLANDO, Fla. — Akshay Bhatia waited just long enough for his putt to take a final turn and drop for birdie Sunday morning, allowing him to cut Daniel Berger’s lead to one shot in the rain-delayed Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
They had to play two full holes to complete the third round that was halted by darkness from a rain delay. Berger 2-putted from 35 feet for birdie on the par-5 16th for a three-shot lead.
But on the 18th, Berger’s tee shot went right into the rough, forcing him to lay up. He hit wedge to 10 feet and missed the par putt to complete an even-par 72.
Bhatia’s birdie putt stopped on the edge of the cup. He stared at it, walked to the hole, stopped for a final look and saw it drop for a 68.
Berger was at 13-under 203, and they were in the final pairing Sunday afternoon.
Cameron Young, Collin Morikawa and Sepp Straka were four shots out of the lead, setting up a final round with a number of possibilities. Bay Hill’s greens are typically the firmest and fastest of the Florida swing. Five of the last six tournaments at Bay Hill were decided by one shot.
