Akshay Bhatia just pulled off one of golf’s most stunning comebacks, and honestly, it was the kind of performance that would’ve made Arnold Palmer himself smile. After missing a short putt that dropped him five shots behind on Sunday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, the 24-year-old didn’t panic, he got to work.

What followed was pure golf magic. Bhatia caught fire on the back nine with four consecutive birdies, including a nearly 60-foot putt on the 11th hole that had the crowd losing it. But the real turning point came on the par-5 16th hole. With his caddie Joe Greiner telling him to “hit the best 6-iron of your life,” Bhatia delivered. He fired a perfect shot to a difficult pin that nearly went in on the bounce, setting up an eagle that kept him alive in the tournament.

He finished regulation tied with Daniel Berger at 15-under 273, forcing the first playoff at Bay Hill since 1999. In the sudden-death match, Berger couldn’t deliver. After pulling his drive left on the 18th, his par putt fell short, and Bhatia calmly made his two putts to secure his third PGA Tour title, and notably, all three of his wins have come in playoffs.

Berger, who led for much of the day and looked like he was cruising to victory, came painfully close. He showed legitimate grit just getting to the playoff, nearly pulling off an impossible up-and-down from 70 yards on the 18th in regulation. But in the end, a couple of crucial misses, including that fatal short par putt in the playoff, cost him. Still, he walked away with the runner-up spot and a $2.2 million check.

What made this comeback even more special was the energy of the crowd. Bhatia felt like he had “Arnie’s Army” behind him, and it showed. The gallery was clearly rooting for the younger player down the stretch, creating an electric atmosphere that embodied Palmer’s famous philosophy: “You must play boldly to win”.

For Bhatia, this win is massive. At just 24 years old, he’s now jumped into the top 20 in the world rankings heading into a crucial stretch of the golf season, with the Masters coming up next month. He also took home $4 million for the victory and got to wear the iconic red cardigan that goes to every Bay Hill champion.

Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler struggled again, shooting a 73 and tying for 24th. He carded another double bogey on the 18th, his third double in his last 19 holes at Bay Hill, marking the first time since last year’s U.S. Open that he failed to break 70 at a tournament. It’s a reminder that even the best players have off days.