Akshay Bhatia produced a remarkable back-nine fightback to snatch victory from Daniel Berger in a dramatic finish to the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida.
Berger looked in pole position to close out a wire-to-wire victory and claim a first PGA Tour win since 2021, with the American holding a four-shot lead with nine holes to play at Bay Hill Club and Lodge.
Bhatia was a further shot back at the turn but raced back into contention with four consecutive birdies from the 10th, while a stunning eagle at the par-five 16th pulled him level when Berger bogeyed the next.
Both made par at the last to finish on 15 under and force the Signature Event into its first play-off since 1999, where Berger made bogey to allow Bhatia to complete his third PGA Tour title with a two-putt par.
Sweden's Ludvig Ã…berg ended three strokes back in tied-third alongside Cameron Young, while Collin Morikawa claimed fifth place ahead of Sahith Theegala and Russell Henley.
Berger took a one-shot lead over Bhatia into the final round and extended his lead with a six-foot birdie at the par-four first, as his playing partner made bogey after finding the cart path with a wayward second shot.
The overnight leader failed to get up and down to save par at the par-three second but joined Bhatia in taking advantage of the par-five fourth, with Berger moving three clear when Bhatia found water with his approach into the par-five sixth and made another bogey.
Berger holed from eight feet at the ninth to register his third birdie of the round and reach the turn four ahead, while Bhatia closed his front-nine with a bogey but picked up a shot at the next to get back into the group tied-second.
Bhatia holed from nearly 60 feet to birdie the 11th and joined Berger in adding another at the par-five next, before a two-shot swing at the 13th saw Bhatia make a fourth straight birdie as Berger scrambled bogey after finishing plugged in a greenside bunker.
Berger's lead doubled when Bhatia missed from eight feet to bogey the 15th, but the 24-year-old responded with a stunning iron into the par-five next to set up a five-foot eagle and get back within one.
A birdie at the 16th for Berger was cancelled out by him failing to save par from seven at the next, with Berger having to get up and down from the fairway and hole from 15 feet at the par-four last to extend the contest.
Both players returned to the par-four 18th for the play-off, where Berger three-putted from over 100 feet - missing the second from around eight feet - as Bhatia found the green and two-putted for his winning par.
"Everyone knows when you show up to Bay Hill it's going to be a test and to play one of the hardest golf courses," Bhatia explained. "To succeed is really cool, and I can't thank the tournament enough."
Berger has qualified for The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale this July after finishing runner-up, with Bhatia already in the field and leaving Berger as the highest-ranked finisher not already exempt.
"I'm proud of myself," Berger said. "Obviously it didn't go the way I wanted it to, but at the start of the week, if you told me I would have a chance on the 18th hole to win Bay Hill, I would be ecstatic with that.
"A lot of positives, a lot of things to learn from. I think my game is sharp, just need to clean a few things up here and there. It's tough to win. I feel like I did a good job, and a shot here or there was the difference."
England's Harry Hall ended tied-ninth after a two-under 70, while world No 1 Scottie Scheffler finished tied-24th to leave him outside the top 10 in successive PGA Tour events for the first time in a year.
The PGA Tour stays in Florida for The Players at TPC Sawgrass, its flagship event, where Rory McIlroy returns as defending champion and Scheffler looks to win the event for a third time in four years.
Live build-up coverage is on Your Site Golf from 1pm on both Tuesday and Wednesday, before round-the-clock tournament coverage begins on Thursday at 11.30am. .
