While several players, including World No. 1 Scottie Scheffer challenged and shared a late-round lead, Morikawa birdied three of the final four holes for 5-under 67 and a one-shot margin over Min Woo Lee and Sepp Straka at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Morikawa, who finished at 22 under, began the day two shots off the lead following a 62 in the third round. He won for the first time since the 2023 Zozo Championship in Japan.

“I didn’t want to post a score, to try too hard. I just wanted to play golf,”  Morikawa said.

The former Cal standout birdied the 15th and 16th holes, but faltered with a bogey on the 17th, putting him into a tie with  Lee, who was already done with his round.

On the 18th, Morikawa hit a solid drive, but had to wait about 20 minutes to take his second shot. Ahead of him, Jacob Bridgeman had put his second shot on the beach. Once Bridgeman cleared the hole, Morikawa hit it to the edge of the green. From there he putted to within a foot for his third shot and then tapped in for a birdie to win it.

“Pebble Beach was always a course that I just wanted to come and play and you wanted to come and play against the pros and play against the best in the world,” said Morikawa, who through the week discussed his self-critical nature.

“But I had the 62 yesterday, it was a great field, you know. It feels great. I’m slowly trying to just smile now because I think the tears are going away.”

Lee, playing three groups ahead of Morikawa, birdied the 17th and 18th to finish with a 65 and at 21 under as the clubhouse co-leader.

Straka, a four-time PGA Tour winner who also began the final round trailing by two shots, finished biridie, birdie, eagle for 68.

Scheffler, the World No. 1 since May 2023, began the fourth round trailing by eight shots. He made an early morning run and stayed close to the leader and moved into a four-way tie for the lead at 20 under with an eagle on the 18th. He finished tied for third after a 9-under 63 with Tommy Fleetwood, who finished with a 66.

“Anytime you’ve got three eagles in one round, good things are happening,” Scheffler said. “It was nice to take advantage of the holes early in the round to kind of put myself on the leaderboard.

“I did a lot of good stuff, holed a lot of nice putts, hit a lot of nice iron shots. I’m proud of the way I played today.”

Akshay Bhatia, the second and third-round leader, and Sam Burns tied for sixth at 19 under.

Bhatia, playing in his 100th career event, finished with a 72, the only score not under par on the leaderboard. Burns had a 67.

The first of the season’s eight Signature Events began with 18 of the top 20 and 42 of the top 50 ranked players. After rain during practice rounds, ideal conditions prevailed. Only 12 players were over par after 36 holes and only nine completed the tournament over par.

Scheffler maintained his final-day wizardry throughout the day. With 262 yards to the pin on the 72nd hole, Scheffler hit his second shot to 3 feet and completed his first career three eagle round.
Scheffler also duplicated his play from last week at the Phoenix Open. He was in 89th position after the first round and tied for third. He was tied for 62nd on Thursday after his opening-round 72.

“It was a frustrating start to both of the last couple weeks,” said Scheffler. “But I think these are some of the weeks when you look back, I’m very proud of sticking with it, not giving up even when I felt like things were going.”

Scheffler’s morning spree moved him quickly into a three-way tie for sixth. He birdied the first and third holes and eagled the second to climb to 15 under, all about 45 minutes before Bhatia started his round.
With his second front-nine eagle on the seventh, Scheffler moved within one shot of the lead. He bogeyed the eighth and finished the front nine with a par, a 6-under 30 and a five-way tie at 17 under.

Scheffler’s stellar play continued with a 22-foot birdie on the tent, moving him briefly into within one shot of the trio of leaders.

Since finishing tied for 20th last March 13 in the Players Championship, Scheffler has finished in the top 10 in his past 19 events, including the limited field Hero Challenge. He has seven victories, a tie for second and two third-place ties.

Ryo Hisatsune, the first-round leader who opened with a 62 and held a one-shot lead over two players, finished with a 67 and six-way tie for ninth at 18 under.

James Raia is a former Herald staff member who has been a longtime sports correspondent for the paper. Reach him at james@jamesraia.com.

Playing in the first group on the first hole, the defending AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am titlist and World No. 2, finished with an 8-under 64 and at 17 under.

McIlroy’s eight-birdie, no-bogey round countered his earlier smorgasbord play.

He tallied one eagle, six birdies and two double bogeys at Spyglass Hill Golf Course for an opening-round 68. In the second round, McIlroy carded a 67 at Pebble Beach with one eagle, five birdies and two bogeys.

McIlroy began the third round six shots behind leader Akshay Bhatia. But he again found trouble at Pebble Beach. He combined one triple bogey, one double bogey, one bogey and six birdies for a 72. He began the fourth round 10 shots off the lead.

“I struck my irons well, drove it well for the most part,” said McIlroy, assessing his week. “There were a couple of destructive shots yesterday, but everything feels in pretty good shape.”

“I wish I could have those four holes back this week. I played 68 really good ones and even if you turn those three doubles into bogeys and that triple into a bogey, that’s five shots and all of a sudden you’re looking at having a three-shot lead.”

McIlroy completed the career grand slam last April when he won the Masters, his 29th PGA Tour title.

“I was trying to get the sloppy stuff out of the way, which I feel like I did,” McIlroy said.  “Obviously, a really solid round to play going into next week. Unless the weather gets really bad here coming up, it’s probably not going to be quite enough. But I played really well today, which is great.”

Long wait

Min Woo Lee’s lone win on the PGA Tour last season came when he defeated favored Scottie Scheffler at the Texas Children’s Open. He waited about 45 minutes Sunday before knowing he didn’t win his second time.

With a strong finish, Lee held the lead at 21 under, while winner Collin Morikawa still had three holes left.

“It was a great week,” said Lee. “Obviously, it was just shy of making the playoff but I gave it my all. I think I’m very proud of the way I handled myself today and the end of the week.

“I played a lot of good golf, which is nice, and it’s been trending, it’s been good and hopefully we can keep the form going.”

Born in Australia to South Korean parents who immigraterd in the early 1990s, Lee has five pro titles on four pro tours and finished fifth in 2023 U.S. Open.

“It’s so cliche, but I think my abilities got me past that little hump,” said Lee. “There’s times when you think a little bit too ahead and result oriented a little bit.

“Don’t focus on the process. I think I did a good job of that today. Just executed, which is great. There’s a couple shots there that were very tricky and I did my best and I’m very
happy.”

One pro about another

Sepp Straka, playing in the final threesome, praised winner Collin Morikawa.

“He’s one of the best iron players of our generation,” Straka said of Morikawa. “He’s one of the best of his generation, probably. I’m a little older than him. We’ve been out here about the same time. Yeah, it’s very impressive to watch him hit iron shots.”

Former titlists, mixed results

McIlroy’s finish was the top effort among seven for AT&T titlists in the field.
In descending years, their finishes were Wyndham Clark, the 2024 winner, finished at 6-under. Justin Rose, the 2023 winner, was 11-under, while 2022 winner Tom Hoge 17-under. Daniel Berger, the 2021 winner, finished 2-over, and 2017 winner Jordan Spieth finished at 11-under.

This year it was the players who were in the spotlight, especially Sunday as a handful of golfers took their turns at grabbing the lead before Collin Morikawa came out the winner.

When the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am became a signature event on the PGA Tour, attracting 80 of the best golfers in the world, the celebrity portion was scaled down — completely ditched on the weekend.

That forced Monterey Peninsula Foundation CEO and long-time tournament director Steve John to think outside the box to keep the contributions pouring in, while enlightening fans.

Bringing in Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce – even just for Thursday and Friday and without Taylor Swift — brought in an estimated $620,000 in ticket sales after it was announced he was coming.

“It’s more than we have ever seen in that window,” John said. “Some of that lift in sales can be attributed to the pros, being such a strong field. Each ticket presents a grant.”

For the most part, the weather was cooperative as well, as the tournament witnessed large galleries over the first three days of the world-renowned event once known as the Crosby Clambake.

“We tried to trick Mother Nature by moving our tee times up on Sunday,” John said. And it worked as the tournament finished before the worst of the weather hit. “A little weather is part of the tradition of this tournament.”

By and large, the tournament once again is bringing in close to $18 million in charitable contributions, with sales up from after the change was adopted.

As fans begin to embrace the new format, witnessing the PGA’s best golfers on one of the more scenic and breathtaking courses is hard to pass up.

“It felt great out there Saturday,” John said. “You could feel the vibe, even though it was cold and windy. It had all the makings of a memorable day. Everyone out there won’t forget the experience they had.”

Despite the tricky conditions on Saturday, with winds gusting up to 35 mph, scores were low as the greens were in pristine condition.

“I don’t think the golf courses have ever been better,” John said. “The rain we had earlier in the week was perfect. The golf courses – both Pebble and Spyglass – looked so plush.”

Some of the changes that John and his foundation worked on with the tournament were to create a better fan experience, including the addition of the Foresight golf simulators at the Triangle Plaza.

The plaza, which offers views of holes 6, 8, and 14, had two simulators where fans could tee off in the simulation from any of the 18 holes on Pebble Beach.

“We focused on the experience for the general admission ticket holders in several areas,” John said. “We ended with the Foresight at the Triangle. That was hugely successful.”

John said that 1,050 people went through the Foresight simulators on Saturday alone, as the Triangle Plaza also offered beverages, food and souvenirs.

“We wanted to improve the experience,” John said. “We did a couple of things. We put in new bleachers on the 14th hole and called them Rory’s (McIlroy) grandstands because of the shot he hit over a tree last year.”

The tournament also added the “Apres at the Hay” fan experience on Friday and Saturday at Peter Hay golf course.

“We’re listening,” John said. “We’re listening to the fans. We want to know what people think. I feel we accomplished a couple of our goals. We’re far from being satisfied. There is still work to do.”

The seventh hole, arguably the most famous hole at Pebble Beach, had its seating capacity increased by 25 percent. Those seats were full on Friday and Saturday.

“The view is stunning, even with the weather,” John said. “I’m proud of what we’re doing with AT&T … The event is about golf. Yet, at the end of the day, it’s about giving.”

No tournament has brought in more charitable contributions than the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, having generated close to $270 million.

“I’m confident with Sunday’s attendance, we will get to the same level of charitable contributions as last year,” John said. “If we’re not improving, I need to do something else or just play golf. You have to have that mindset.”

Adding free shuttles from Pacific Grove and Carmel was also a success in luring fans to the event, along with those bused from Cal State Monterey Bay in a more timely manner.

“Spectators were pouring down from the first tee all morning Saturday,” John said. “The elements add to the tournament. Winds blowing 35 mph changes everything, which is cool to watch.”

John has already begun tinkering with ideas to enhance the fans’ experience in 2027, particularly from a hospitality standpoint. He’d like to add a wine bar at the Triangle.

“We need to raise the bar in our hospitality things,” John said. “We’re wine country. For the general admission ticker holder, I think we can still offer a better fan experience. My best ideas are often stolen. Maybe there’s something we haven’t thought of yet.”

John isn’t oblivious that celebrities still command an audience. While the old format often featured 30-plus celebrities, Kelce was among eight well-named celebrities who took part on Thursday and Friday.

“Even with the old format, we wanted to keep it fresh,” John said. “You don’t want a fan saying I’m tired of seeing the same people. We’ve gone away from that with this being a signature event on the PGA Tour. But Travis brought in a lot of fans.”

John was prepared if Kelce’s fiancée Taylor Swift made a special appearance on the links to watch, although it never materialized.

“We had four meetings in case she came out,” John said. “We were more than prepared. I’m told she was in the area. Someone spotted her in Carmel.”

Even in a scaled-down version, having celebrities will remain a part of the tournament.

“We still had eight people from Train’s Pat Monahan to Pau Gasol and Steve Young,” John said. “Our focus is no longer on celebrities. It’s on professional golf. But that doesn’t mean we won’t look to invite celebrities.”

Bhatia, tied with Ryo Hisatsune in the lead at 15-under and with a one-stroke cushion after two rounds, carded a 4-under 68 and moved to 19-under.

Jake Knapp, who had a 66, and Sepp Straka, who shot a 67, were joined by Collin Morikawa, who equaled the tournament’s low round with a 62.

“Yeah, it was a great start to the day,” said Bhatia. “It was blowing perfectly, say 10 to 15 (miles per hour). It was a similar direction we had in the practice round. I mean, we were hitting a bunch of different shots just for fun and actually to live it through the last couple of holes was pretty challenging.”

Bhatia had six birdies on the front nine and two bogeys on the back nine. With other finishers late in the round, Bhatia, whose most recent of two PGA Tour wins was the 2024 Valero Texas Open, moved away from his waving ball on the 18th green several times in the gusting winds.

“All in all, yeah, it was a weird day,” said Bhatia, who’s playing in his 100th career PGA Tour event. “I felt like I lost some ground toward the end, but then I realized, like dude, it just played so much harder for some of the guys that were in some of the last tee times.”

Morikawa, eight shots off the lead after three rounds, had 11 birdies, including four straight starting on the sixth hole. He bogeyed the 10th but then birdied four of the final six holes, including the 17th and 18th to further shrink Bhatia’s advantage.

“The ball was going where I wanted, putts were dropping when I needed them,” said Morikawa, whose last of six PGA Tour titles was a six-stroke win at the 2023 Zozo Championship in Japan. “I was just never going to get ahead of myself.”

Morikawa, the former Cal standout as well as the former world’s top-ranked amateur, has four second-place finishes since his last title.

“This game is stressful enough and I think I make it even more stressful for whatever reason,” he said. “But I was able to just really take it a shot at a time and just enjoy the round when I could.”

With rain forecast before 11 a.m. Sunday, PGA Tour officials advanced tee times one hour to 7:22 a.m. The final group is scheduled to start at 9:45 a.m.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had 5-under 67 with five birdies, including on the 18th.

“I feel like I’m close to doing some good stuff,” said Scheffler, who has finished in the top-10 in 17 consecutive tournaments including seven wins. “It’s just around this place, it’s challenging in some spots. It’s hard to tell how firm and how soft some of the greens have been.

“Most have been pretty soft, but there’s a few — there’s a shot I hit in today, it actually bounced forward with a wedge and I just couldn’t figure out how it happened.”

Scheffler, playing in his third AT&T, finished tied for sixth in 2024 and tied for ninth last year.

“I don’t want to rule anything out for myself,” said Scheffler. “You never want to limit yourself. I’d obviously like to be in a better position on the leaderboard. But yeah, with crazy weather, crazy things can happen and we’ll see what I can do tomorrow.”

Defending titlist Rory McIlroy, ranked No. 2, had six birdies. But his round unraveled with a triple bogey on the fourth hole. He sealed his 72 with a double bogey on the 18th, falling 22 positions and into a tie for 39th at 9 under.

Burns began the third round trailing the co-leaders, but he eagled the first hole. After a 223-yard drive on the par 4, Burns’ 156-yard second shot found the hole and moved him briefly into the lead at 16 under.

Hisatsune, who finished with a 74, and Bhatia began their rounds a few minutes later and quickly began posting birdies. Hisatsune birdied the second hole to tie Burns, but Bhatia birdied the first and second holes to move into a solo lead at 17 under.

Burns finished at even par and in a group at 14 under with Tommy Fleetwood, Min Woo Lee and Maverick McNealy.

If you go

The final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is scheduled to get underway at 7:22 Sunday morning, although inclement weather could delay the start, postpone or cancel the last round. Portions will be televised by the Golf Channel and CBS. For tickets and more information, visit www.attpbgolf.com.

James Raia is a former Herald staff member who has been a longtime sports correspondent for the paper. Reach him at james@jamesraia.com.

With his three younger brothers, McNealy sometimes practiced in the family’s extended backyard with plastic clubs.

The former Stanford standout is now in his eighth PGA Tour season. Saturday he shot a 9-under 63 to move into tie for seventh with Tommy Fleetwood, Min Loo Lee and Sam Burns at 14 under, five shots behind leader Akshay Bhatia.

McNealy, who claimed his lone PGA Tour title at the 2024 RSM Classic, was in the third group starting on the back nine. He collected 10 birdies, including four straight beginning on No. 1, his 10th hole of the round. McNealy’s only bogey occurred on the fifth hole.

A decade ago, McNealy was the world’s top-ranked amateur. He turned professional in late 2017. He finished second in AT&T in 2021 and tied for fifth in 2020. But he’s struggled in the tournament’s Signature Event status, finishing tied for 40th in last year and tied for 39th in 2024.

Land of winter sports

Alpine skiing and ice hockey reign during the winner in the mountainous country in Central Europe. Soccer rules in the summer and Sepp Strake and his twin brother Sam enoyed it until they began to focus on golf at age 11.

Three years later, the Straka family moved to Georgia, and the brothers’ skills quickly improved. The twins advanced through high school and at the University of Georgia. In 2018, Sepp Straka became the first Austrian golfer to earn a PGA Tour card.

With his third round, 5-under 67 Straka moved into a tie Saturday with Jake Knapp and Collin Morikawa  at 17-under, two shots off the lead.

“I felt I did nothing right on the front nine,” said Straka, who tied for seventh last year. “Then (we) turned to the back nine and everything kind of went right. Tale of two sides there today for me.”

Straka claimed the last of his four PGA Tour titles and second during the 2025 season at the Truist Championship. He also finished second in the 2023 British Open.

“I just kind of hung in there today,” said Straka. “I think I was pretty far down the leaderboard at the turn when I was 1 over. But I hung in there and hit some really good shots once the wind kind of switched direction off the left.”

AT&T fraternity

Canadian Nick Taylor had a few difficult years keeping his playing privileges, but his win at the 2020 AT&T changed his career.

The 16-year PGA Tour pro is among two small groups in the tournament’s 80-year legacy on the Monterey Peninsula. He’s one of the six foreign players to win the tournament and one of three players, joining Jimmy Demaret (1952) and Phil Mickelson (2005), to claim a wire-to-wire title.

Taylor, who has one PGA Tour victory in each of the past three seasons, held a one-shot lead entering the 2020 AT&T’s final day, one shot ahead of Mickelson.

Playing in cold, blustery winds, Taylor finished with a 2-under 70 for a four-shot cushion over Kevin Streelman and a five-shot margin over Mickelson.

This week, Taylor is among seven former AT&T titlists in the 80-player field. He shot a third-round 71 and is among nine players, including No. 1-ranked Scotte Scheffler, at 11 under.
Former AT&T winners in the field also include Rory McIlroy (2025), Wyndham Clark (2024), Justin Rose (2023) Tom Hoge (2022), Daniel Berger (2021) and Jordan Spieth (2017).

An AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am attendee takes a picture in a PGA Tour photo booth for another fan on Saturday. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am attendees had the opportunity to test Foresight's golf simulators at the Triangle. Many fans took the opportunity to try the simulator Saturday. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am fans sit at the barstools along the Triangle and look out at the course on Saturday. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

Fans at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am took advantage of the various activities at the Triangle Saturday morning, while not missing any golf updates thanks to large screens showing CBS's broadcast. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

A kid plays mini golf at the Coors Light tent at the Triangle on Saturday during the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am attendees had the opportunity to test Foresight's golf simulators at the Triangle. Many fans took the opportunity to try the simulator Saturday. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

First Tee Monterey had a large connect-four game near their tent at the Triangle for AT&T Pebble Pro-Am attendees to play. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

Views from the Triangle during the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Saturday morning. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am attendees had the opportunity to test Foresight's golf simulators at the Triangle. Many fans took the opportunity to try the simulator Saturday. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

Fans at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am took advantage of the various activities at the Triangle Saturday morning, while not missing any golf updates thanks to large screens showing CBS's broadcast. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am attendees had the opportunity to test Foresight's golf simulators at the Triangle. Many fans took the opportunity to try the simulator Saturday. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am attendees had the opportunity to test Foresight's golf simulators at the Triangle. Many fans took the opportunity to try the simulator Saturday. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

First Tee Monterey had a large connect-four game near their tent at the Triangle for AT&T Pebble Pro-Am attendees to play. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

Fans at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am took advantage of the various activities at the Triangle Saturday morning, while not missing any golf updates thanks to large screens showing CBS's broadcast. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am attendees had the opportunity to test Foresight's golf simulators at the Triangle. Many fans took the opportunity to try the simulator Saturday. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

Views from the Triangle during the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Saturday morning. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am attendees had the opportunity to test Foresight's golf simulators at the Triangle. Many fans took the opportunity to try the simulator Saturday. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)

Yet, for someone who has never taken up golf, perhaps playing on a simulator might offer a different perspective, I told myself, a lot different than being sandwiched in a gallery at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am listening to people whisper all day.

The Foresight First Tee Monterey County Fan Zone – a new addition to the tournament – was open to the fans this year, set up at the Triangle Plaza on the Pebble Beach course between holes 6, 8 and 14.

When I showed up Friday morning there was a spot for me, so I figured, why not? Let’s put a club – don’t ask me which one – into my hands.

“Have you ever golfed before?” asked Foresight representative Dylan Baker.

“Well, does miniature golf count?” I asked him. “And I have walked this course at least 100 times.”

He handed me a club and put me in front of a big screen that showed the majestic seventh hole at Pebble Beach, complete with Friday morning’s weather.

“These simulators are made to give you the exact conditions of today’s weather, with the clouds,” Baker said. “Winds are currently 6 mph. Try this club.”

First impressions go a long way. It wasn’t a coincidence that I chose a hole that is just 106 yards long, as my first attempt sailed roughly 78 yards on a dime down the fairway.

“Are you sure you’ve never golfed before?” Baker asked. “That’s a good shot. You drove it right down the middle of the fairway. It looks like you gauged the wind in your face.”

What wind?

Well, three attempts later, I completely whiffed, yanking a rib or two out of place. The next two shots sailed into the rough, although my distance improved.

“That is what we are used to seeing with first-time golfers,” Baker laughed. “Try this club instead.”

While my contact was good on nine-of-10 attempts, I had no idea what I was doing.

“Don’t try and lift the ball by swinging down on it,” said Baker, who was extremely helpful and patient.

I will admit it was fun. It’s like being in a batting cage, except you get to track your ball and see where your shot lands on the screen, which would have enabled me to make corrections with my swing if I had any idea what I was doing.

While the seventh hole was one of the more popular holes among fans, the simulator offered all 18 holes at Pebble Beach during the weekend. Who doesn’t want to drive the ball off the 18th?

Three times a day through Sunday, the fan that is closest to the hole in the simulator will win a Bushnell Range Finder.

“I believe Hole 7 is the most famous hole at Pebble Beach,” Baker said. “So a lot of people have asked for it. You can play any hole here. Ideally, people would love to stay in here and play all 18 holes.”

Particularly in the early morning when golfers on course have not reached the No. 7 hole and standing in a warm tent is a little more cozy than braving temperatures in the low 50s.

The simulators were a new addition to the tournament, with the emphasis on the fan experience, where a cocktail and burger could be found in the Triangle Plaza setup, which oversees holes 6, 8 and 14.

Most PGA golfers now have simulators similar to what was on display to hone in on their game when they’re home, according to Baker.

The casual golf fan can also have a simulator in their homes, which range anywhere between $8,000 to $30,000, depending on size, as some can be as big as 16-feet wide by 9-feet tall.

“You do not have to modify your room,” Baker said. “It’s a prefabricated free-standing frame that includes all the software, the computer, projector and launch monitors. Or if you have a man cave, you can do something totally custom.”

If you are a golf fanatic who has dreamed of playing at Augusta, the San Diego-based company has 300 courses you can play from all over the world, with current time and weather included.

“It’s very accessible and a little easier to get started,” Baker said. “We had people coming in all day long. We find that people are getting hooked, like yourself.”

Well, let’s pump the brakes on that.

I did, however, take a few more cracks than I originally envisioned. You find yourself immersed in wanting to send the ball deeper down the fairway – preferably out of the rough.

Yet, reality does creep in. It’s a humbling sport. I mean, the sound of the ball leaving my club was good. The landing didn’t match. There are some similarities to a sport that I’m more familiar with — track — where technique is critical.

“You should really take up the sport,” Baker said.

I will admit it does beat pulling leg muscles each time I do hill repeats once a week.

There didn’t seem top be concerns about the simulators being a distraction to the fans who graced the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

“Come back later in the afternoon,” Baker said.

When this place is filled with people watching? Not a chance.

If you go

The final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is scheduled to get underway Sunday morning, although inclement weather could delay the start, postpone or cancel the last round. For more information, visit attpggolf.com.

Bhatia, shot a bogey-free 64 and Hisatsune, the first-round leader, rallied for a 67 to vault the twosome into co-leadership of the event’s 80th edition at 15-under-par 129.

They hold a one-stroke lead over Rickie Fowler, who had a 64, and Sam Burns, who posted a 67. The top four scorers all played at Spyglass Hill Golf Course.

After periodic heavy practice-round rains and strong winds, Spyglass Hill and Pebble Beach Links again allowed the 80-player field in the first Signature Event of the season to showcase its collective skills. Only eight players are over par after 36 holes.

“The greens can get bumpy, you can get some really tough putts with how much slope’s on the greens,” said Bhatia, now bogey-free through 36 holes. “So I’ve been really steady inside 6 to 5 feet.”

Bhatia, whose most recent of two PGA Tour wins was the 2024 Valero Texas Open, is playing in his 100th career PGA Tour tournament and moved into the tournament co-leadership on his wife’s birthday.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who began the day at even par, dropped to 1 over after the first four holes while starting on the back nine at Spyglass Hill. But Scheffler, who has 17 top-10 finishes, including seven wins dating to last March, quickly rallied.

Beginning on the 14th (his fifth hole of the round), Scheffler tallied five birdies and an eagle in his final 14 holes en route to a 66.

The 20-time PGA Tour winner, playing in the AT&T for the third time, is tied for 34th, nine shots behind. He finished tied for sixth in 2024 and tied for ninth last year.

“I felt like I played better again than my score today, which is pretty frustrating,” Scheffler said. “But I was able to get some stuff going on the back nine. So at least it was a respectable score today versus yesterday, which wasn’t very respectable.”

Scheffler was tied for 64th after his even par first round. Last week, he was 89th after the first round of the Phoenix Open and finished tied for third.

“It’s going to take two pretty special rounds, really three special rounds, but you’re never out of it,” said Scheffler. “We’ll see what happens with the weather. I’ll go practice a little bit and then rest up and get ready for tomorrow. It will be fun.”

Rory McIlroy, No. 2-ranked, shot a 67 and is grouped among five players at 9-under.

“I got off to a really good start again and then stalled on the back nine again,” McIlroy said. “So I feel like I’ve been a little bit wasteful the last two days and maybe not
capitalized on those great starts.

“It’s very low scoring, it’s soft. Hopefully, if I can get off to a good start again tomorrow and pick up a few shots early I’ll be right in the mix.”

Harris English, one of only 12 players shot over par in the first round, had the second round’s low score, a nine-birdie 63 at Pebble Beach. English, whose last of five PGA Tour wins was the 2025 Farmers Insurance Open, moved to 8-under and is among six players trailing the co-leaders by seven shots.

With the pro-am complete, the pro field will compete at Pebble Beach only on the weekend. Saturday’s forecast includes overcast skies and temperatures reaching into the mid-50s. Aksay, Hisatsune and Fowler are the final threesome beginning at 10:45 a.m.

Rainy conditions are expected to return early Sunday morning, stop for several hours and return at approximately 1 p.m. Temperatures are again forecast to reach the mid-50s.

Bhatia began the second round three shots behind Hisatsune after opening 65 at Pebble Beach. But playing in the second starting group with Vicktor Hovland on the back nine, the two-time PGA Tour titlist quickly moved to the top of the leaderboard.

After birdies on the 10th and 11th, his opening two holes, Bhatia moved to 11 under after chipping in from just left of a bunker off the 14th for an eagle 3.

“I’m just building off last week; I played really nice last week,” said Bhatia. “Then, I just started to kind of catch my groove or my stride.”

“It’s been a tough first couple of weeks (of the season), but I feel like my golf swing’s in a really nice spot, shot options are in a really nice spot and I’m starting to see some putts fall.”

Hisatsune, starting about an hour later and also on the back nine, quickly joined Bhatia at 11 under with a birdie on the 11th. He then briefly assumed his first lead of the day after a birdie on the 12th. Bhatia joined him with a birdie on the 17th.

Hisatsune stumbled with bogeys on the 18th and first hole, pushing Bhatia back into a solo lead. But Hisatsune birdied the fifth and eagled the seventh to move into the 36-hole co-lead.

If you go

The tournament runs from 8:45 a.m. until about 4 p.m. at Pebble Beach Golf Links through Sunday. Portions will be televised by the Golf Channel and CBS. For tickets and more information, visit www.attpbgolf.com.

James Raia is a former Herald staff member who has been a longtime sports correspondent for the paper. Reach him at james@jamesraia.com.

Spectators lined the fairways early Thursday and Friday, many carrying folding chairs and coffee as they followed their favorite players from hole to hole. The ocean shimmered beyond the cliffs, and light winds made for ideal playing conditions throughout the first day.

Despite the loss of much of the celebrity presence of past years, the event is still garnering support and spectators. Many fans were traveling to Pebble Beach for the first time, bringing friends and family along. This is the third year the tournament has been a Signature Event on the PGA Tour. The field has been reduced and it is played on just two courses, not three. Many celebrities from the entertainment industry — including Bill Murray — are no longer included in the field. However, more of the PGA Tour’s top golfers play in the event.

“I’ve heard about this event year after year, but this is my first time coming down and just enjoying the game. It’s a great day, and I like being able to see the pros in action,” said Ryan Hayes from San Jose, who came with others from the Silver Creek Valley Country Club.

Others were returning for the second or third time.

“My husband and I had such a good time a couple of years ago that we had to come back,” said Pam Harmon from Montana. “I’m a little disappointed that Bill Murray isn’t here this time, but it doesn’t change my experience, I’m still having a good time.”

Steve and Cherry Morris from Monterey joked that they had different priorities when it came to the Pro-Am tournament. Steve was all about golf while Cherry hoped to catch a glimpse of Travis Kelce, one of the celebrity highlights of the week.

“These (most recent Pro-Am tournaments) have been a better golf experience for me,” said Steve Morris. “I think in previous years there was a lot of extra stuff that slowed the game down. Now we can just watch the pros.”

Meanwhile, Cherry Morris said she enjoyed the crowds and allure surrounding the celebrities.

“I liked the movie stars and different athletes (from different sports), it’s part of the fun,” Cherry Morris said. “But it’s still a beautiful day out at Pebble Beach and that’s always enjoyable.”

Several spectators said they were following specific players throughout the day, including Scottie Scheffler, Chris Gotterup and Hideki Matsuyama. Large galleries formed near each drive as groups moved along the course together.

Fans could be seen gathering along the ropes, some holding phones to capture photos or videos as players approached. Applause followed tee shots and putts, and words of encouragement were occasionally called out from the crowd.

Mary Valderrama of San Jose said she attends with her husband and friends, who are familiar with the course.

“My husband and friends, they come every year,” Valderrama said. “This beautiful weather and this location. It’s fun, they’re definitely pros. It bums me a little that we used to be able to ask for autographs and pictures but they don’t do that kind of thing anymore.”

Ryan Fujiaka and William Reynolds from San Francisco said they had been trying to attend the tournament for several years.

“It’s Pebble Beach and hosts some of the best of the best golfers in the world. What more can you ask for?” Fujiaka said.

Fujiaka said Scheffler, the top-ranked player in the world, was one of the players he was hoping to see, along with Gotterup. He added that it was “so cool seeing him play after he won last week.”

Galen Ishii from Monterey said he was spending the day with friends.

“It’s beautiful and I come out rain or shine, but this year is nice,” Ishii said, adding that he was interested in watching Matsuyama.

Throughout the first two days, spectators continued moving between holes, adjusting their positions to follow different groups. Some settled near greens overlooking the Pacific, while others walked the full course to keep pace with the players they were tracking.

By midafternoon Thursday, sun hats and sunglasses were common across the course as temperatures remained warm. Clear skies stretched over the fairways, and the coastline remained visible beyond the cliffs.

Tournament play will continue on Pebble Beach Golf Links through the weekend. Although the mild weather is expected to hold through Saturday, rain is forecast for early Sunday and then returning Sunday afternoon. For tickets and more information visit attpbgolf.com.

Blue skies, slight winds and temperatures reaching into the low 60s, resulted in a daylong birdie fest with Ryo Hisatsune of Japan emerging with one-shot lead over Sam Burns and Keegan Bradley on Thursday following a first-round 62 at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Bradley played at Spyglass Hill, where the course average was about one-and-a-half shots higher than Pebble Beach.

Hisatsune, 23, ranked 78th in world and a non-winner on the PGA Tour, had 10 birdies, including six during his front-nine 30. The second-year PGA Tour player finished 10th last week at the Phoenix Open and tied for second two weeks ago at the Farmers Insurance Open, which qualified him for Pebble Beach.

“In the last (few) weeks I am making my goals; I’m a much different person right now,” said Hisatsune, competing in the AT&T for the first time.   “I’m much more comfortable. I feel playing these greens.”

The vast improvement from the rainy and windy conditions in early week practice rounds left Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill with soft greens, ideal for approach shots and accurate putting. Sixty-one of the 80-player field shot under-par and only 12 shot over par.

Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1, and Rory McIlroy, No. 2-ranked and defending titlist weren’t among the fortunate.

Scheffler birdied the 18th hole at Pebble Beach to finish with a par 72. McIlroy, starting on the back nine at Spyglass Hill, carded two double bogeys and finished with a 68 at Spyglass Hill.

“I feel like typically I’m good at scoring and today I felt like I didn’t score at all,” said Scheffler, who had three birdies and three bogeys. “Like anything that kind of went wrong seemed to be going that direction.”

Scheffler, the golf’s top-ranked player since May 2023, has finished in the top-10 in 17 consecutive tournaments. He was in 89th place after the first round last week at the Phoenix Open but finished third.

“I just felt like I scored poorly. I actually feel like I’m playing pretty well, just one of those days,” he said.

The 80th edition of the AT&T is the fifth tournament of the PGA Tour season and the first of the circuit’s eight Signature Events. It included a $20 million purse, with a $3.6 million winner’s share and no cut.

McIlroy shot a final-round 6-under 66 en route to a 21-under-par 267 total last year, good for a two-shot win over Shane Lowry. But he had an odd first round, combining an eagle and three birdies with his two double bogeys.

Sam Burns, whose last of five PGA Tour wins occurred in the 2023 World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, Texas, birdied the 17th and 18th en route to his bogey-free 63.

Chris Gotterup, a two-time titlist this season, Tony Finau and Patrick Rodgers are tied at 8-under.

Tom Hoge, the 2022 AT&T winner, made a short putt on the 18th and joined Nick Taylor, the event’s 2020 titlist, Akshay Bathia and Andrew Novak at 7 under.

Jordan Spieth, the 2017 AT&T winner, is among eight players at 6-under par.

The pro field and 80-player amateur field will play on both courses Friday, with weather conditions forecast as similar to the opening round. Pros only in the $20 million tournament will compete on the weekend at Pebble Beach. Heavy rains are predicted for Sunday and next Monday.

If you go

The tournament runs from 8:45 a.m. until about 4 p.m. through Sunday. Portions will be televised by the Golf Channel and CBS. For tickets and more information, visit www.attpbgolf.com.

James Raia is a former Herald staff member who has been a longtime sports correspondent for the paper. Reach him at james@jamesraia.com.