Akshay Bhatia Moves Within One Shot of Lead at Arnold Palmer Invitational

Sunday’s final round changes the title race: akshay bhatia will start one shot behind leader Daniel Berger at Bay Hill. At 3: 30 p. m. ET, the third round was completed after play was suspended on Saturday because of darkness, setting up a tense closing day.

Akshay Bhatia Climbs to Within One Shot of Daniel Berger

akshay bhatia closed the third round with a birdie on the 18th to post a four-under 68, narrowing a two-shot deficit to a single stroke behind Daniel Berger. Berger, who finished his third round in 72, remained the leader at 13 under while Bhatia stood at 12 under when play concluded on Sunday; that swing leaves Bhatia firmly in contention heading into the final round.

Presleigh Shultz Shares Newlywed Details in Over the Moon Feature

Off the course, Presleigh Shultz and Bhatia have been opening up about their December 2025 wedding in the Bahamas, appearing on the cover of Over the Moon Magazine’s February issue. Shultz described being overwhelmed by emotion before walking down the aisle and recounted how the ceremony blended golf touches with personal elements, including a late-night tee time after the vows. She also highlighted details of Bhatia’s wedding wardrobe: he worked with Elevee on a custom black-and-white tuxedo with a photo-collage lining sewn into the jacket, completed the look with black Christian Louboutin dress shoes and wore a Daytona Rolex he purchased after qualifying for the Tour Championship last season. Shultz’s social-media bio even playfully notes: “Somewhere watching Akshay golf. “

Rory McIlroy Withdrawal Opened the Door at Bay Hill

Rory McIlroy withdrew from the tournament on Saturday after developing muscle spasms in his lower back; the PGA Tour announced the withdrawal about 30 minutes before his tee time. McIlroy had been in the top 10 after Friday’s second round and was nine shots back in a share of ninth place before the third round, but the back issue forced him out and altered the week’s competitive dynamics. Other players in the clubhouse on Saturday included Sepp Straka, Cameron Young and Collin Morikawa, who were sharing third place at nine under when play was paused.

The final round is scheduled later Sunday at Bay Hill, with a start time still unconfirmed. If Bhatia maintains the form that produced his birdie on the 18th and a four-under 68, he could overtake Berger by the end of the final round.