akshay bhatia is chasing the lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after a second-round 66 put him second at eight under in Orlando on Friday at 6: 45 p. m. ET. Daniel Berger holds a five-shot advantage at 13 under after following his opening 63 with a 68, keeping control of the leaderboard entering the weekend. The movement near the top comes as attention also lands on Bhatia’s 2026 setup, including a return to a driver first released in 2022 and a putter change seen at Bay Hill.
Leaderboard: Berger in front, akshay bhatia closest after Friday’s low round
Berger extended his lead to five shots during the second round, moving to 13 under and positioning himself for the top prize. He described the day as tougher but felt his play improved, saying: “I actually feel like I played better [today] – the course was a little tougher, ” and added, “I’m looking forward to the next couple of days and seeing the challenge they bring. ”
Behind him, akshay bhatia sits alone in second at eight under after posting the lowest round of the day, a 66, in Orlando. A group is tied for third at seven under: Sahith Theegala, Ludvig Aberg, and Collin Morikawa, with Ricky Fowler next at six under. Rory McIlroy moved to four under and a share of ninth after a 68, saying he played the last 10 holes “really, really well” and emphasized a “controlled, patient round. ”
Akshay Bhatia equipment spotlight: older driver returns, and a Jailbird putter change at Bay Hill
In parallel with his move up the leaderboard, details of Bhatia’s 2026 gear have been closely watched. After having the new Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond Max driver in play for the first tournament of 2026, he returned shortly after to the Callaway Rogue ST—described as one of the oldest drivers on professional circuits and released in 2022. The Rogue ST was also in play for his two PGA Tour victories at the 2023 Barracuda Championship and 2024 Valero Texas Open, with an 8. 5° head and a Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X shaft noted in his setup.
His fairway-wood setup has changed regularly throughout 2026. At his most recent tournament, he was using a TaylorMade Qi10 3-wood and a Callaway Apex UW ’25, after leaving out a Callaway prototype mini driver. Shafts listed for those clubs include a Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X in the Qi10 and a 10 X in the UW ’25.
In irons, Bhatia uses Callaway Apex TCB irons in a 5-iron to pitching wedge configuration and also carries a Callaway X Forged UT with a 4-iron loft, with KBS $-Taper 125 S+ shafts. His Opus SP wedges are shown with lead tape for balance and are configured at 50°, 54°, and 60°, paired with KBS Hi-Rev 2. 0 135 X shafts. On the greens, his putter choice has varied, and at the Arnold Palmer Invitational his Jailbird 380 returned after a Jailbird 1/2 Ball was in play earlier in 2026.
Quick context on akshay bhatia: two-time PGA Tour winner, still in the hunt
Bhatia is a two-time PGA Tour winner and, at 24, is competing near the top of the field this week at Bay Hill. He turned professional in 2019 and joined Callaway that year, while still using a few clubs from other brands.
What’s next: weekend pressure rises with akshay bhatia in pursuit
As Saturday approaches at 7: 10 p. m. ET, the immediate question is whether akshay bhatia can convert his Friday surge into sustained weekend pressure on Berger’s five-shot cushion. With the field tightly packed behind second place, the next two rounds will test whether Bhatia’s scoring form—and his current mix of long-used and newly rotated equipment—can hold up under Bay Hill’s rising demands.
