How did Akshay Bhatia win the Arnold Palmer Invitational despite losing strokes off the tee and on approach in the final round? He out-putted everyone.
Bhatia was dialed from close range this week, leading the field at Bay Hill in both Strokes Gained: Around the Green and Putting as he earned his third PGA Tour victory in a playoff over Daniel Berger. But it was his putting that really set him apart, as he gained 10.6 shots on the greens — 3.5 strokes more than anyone else.
Nearly half of his 2.7 strokes from the final round were picked up on the 11th hole, where he drained a massive 58-foot birdie in the midst of four straight to start the back nine.
Since the end of 2023, Bhatia has been one of the most prominent users of a broomstick-style putter (and has ignited the internet with a host of false accusations that he anchors the 50-inch-long Odyssey Jailbird DB broomstick to his chest during his putting stroke).
Bhatia has mostly stuck to this same Jailbird look and shaft orientation since switching to the method at the end of his rookie season in 2023. He briefly used Odyssey’s newer Ai-Dual Jailbird broomstick with a new 1/2 Ball alignment aid and Ai-Dual insert but went back to his gamer earlier this season.
His gamer features a soft Microhinge insert and has 3 degrees of loft.
The improvement since the switch has been rather incredible. Bhatia was near the bottom in Strokes Gained: Putting in 2023, ranking 183rd as he made the switch toward the end of the season. He immediately jumped to 33rd in 2024 and 35th in 2025, his first two seasons with the broom. So far this season, he’s 12th on the PGA Tour in the category.
“To have two consistent years with putting has made a big impact in my last couple of years on Tour,” Bhatia told 5 Clubs Golf early last week. I feel like I’m pretty consistent with how I practice. It’s to be a really good putter out here because that’s what helps us win golf tournaments.”
