Daniel Berger almost did not finish API after grandmother's death

PONTE VEDRA BEACH — Daniel Berger 's final-round showdown with Akshay Bhatia at the Arnold Palmer Invitational almost did not happen.

Berger, who lost in a playoff on March 8 after Bhatia's historic putting display, played the final three rounds with a very heavy heart after the death of his grandmother

Daniela Stastny died from a brain aneurysm. She was 83.

Berger learned about her death Thursday night following his opening round. He questioned whether he should even show up for his second round.

"I was not sure really if I even wanted to play the rest of the week," Berger said following his opening-round 72 at The Players Championship. "Just having that happen and then trying to win a golf tournament … the whole thing combined was just like, 10 times the amount of emotion and physical energy exerted.

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"I've never experienced a loss in my family like that. So I didn't really know how to process it. So with everything going on, I felt like I really hung in there well."

Berger led, or was tied for the lead, from midway through the opening round until his 7 1/2-foot par putt to force a second playoff hole died and fell to the right, securing Bhatia's victory. He held off a charging Bhatia in the final round, including a clutch 14-footer to force the playoff.

"I didn't want to play golf but I just tried to make my family proud and play the best that I could and I think I did that," he said.

All of which explains the emotion Berger displayed when that putt on No. 18 dropped to force the playoff, one that circled halfway around the cup before dropping.

No one at that point knew about his loss.

Berger pumped his fist, turned and gestured to the crowd by opening his arms.

"That showed the fight … the fight that I have in me," Berger said.

Berger, the Dwyer High School graduate who lives in Jupiter, later learned Bhatia has been playing the last three months with his niece, Mia, on his mind. Mia was 6 when she died the morning of Bhatia's wedding. She suffered from a rare condition known as PDCD (Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Deficiency).

Bhatia became emotional talking about Mia following his victory.

"Everybody has something going on and that's what you don't realize," Berger said.

Berger's heart still aches as he plays his ninth Players Championship. Services have not been held for his grandmother. However, she will be with him in spirit as he attempts to win for the fifth time on the PGA Tour, and first at The Players where his highest finish is T9 (2016, 2021).

Berger was proud of the way he played last week and walked away from Bay Hill with an impressive weekend that was only upstaged by a man whose putter was on fire. Bhatia rose 43 spots this week in strokes gained: putting to No. 12 overall.

"The biggest thing was that I played well down the stretch," Berger said. "I hit good shots on a really tough golf course. Akshay made some incredible putts."

Like a birdie putt on No. 18 to complete the third round that hung on the lip for about 10 seconds before dropping. And a  58-footer for birdie at the par-4 11th hole.

Berger returned to Jupiter for two days to be with family

Instead of heading straight to the Jacksonville area, Berger returned home following the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He had two days to reset and spent time with family.

And reflect.

What he realized about the weekend at Bay Hill was there was not much he could have done differently.

Having a four-shot lead (five over Bhatia) at Bay Hill at the turn on the final round, and shooting par on those final nine holes should have been enough to wear the red cardigan sweater that goes to the winner.

"For the next couple of days, I thought about it. I said, 'What would I do differently?' " Berger said. "And the reality is I wouldn't do that much differently."

Berger wanted to arrive at The Players with the same energy he had at the API "in terms of my golf game being in a great place."

And he felt he did that in a first round that was delayed 21 minutes because of rain. Berger was 1-over when conditions deteriorated and the wind started whipping. He had consecutive bogeys when the rain came.

Players returned to a softer course and much different conditions. Berger then birdied No. 9 (his final hole) to finish even par.

"That's the way golf goes," Berger said. "So just really carry that momentum over and just try to put together another good four days."

Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Daniel Berger played 3 rounds at Arnold Palmer after grandma's death