Ryo Hisatsune set the pace at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with a superb bogey-free 62, including birdies on each of his final three holes, while defending champion Rory McIlroy struggled with costly errors that saw him drop six shots behind the leader. The first round, held at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill, featured difficult conditions that led to mixed results among the top contenders.
McIlroy’s Round Marked by Double-Bogey Setbacks
McIlroy, a five-time major champion, began strongly on the back nine with an eagle on the 13th hole and six birdies in total. He scored four under par 68, but consecutive double-bogeys on par-three holes three and five stalled his progress. These three-putt mishaps significantly impacted his round, causing him to fall outside the top 25 in an 80-player field.
Despite the setbacks, McIlroy finished his round on a positive note with a 14-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole. However, his putting woes left him ranked low in the stat sheets, reflecting his inability to capitalize when in scoring position. His overall performance was marked by flashes of brilliance but undermined by key mistakes.
Strong Performances from Burns, Bradley, and Others
Close behind Hisatsune are Sam Burns and Keegan Bradley, both shooting flawless bogey-free rounds of 63. Burns secured an eagle on the 17th hole, which helped propel him into a tie for second place. Their steady play contrasts with the struggles of other leading players such as world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who finished with a 72 after a difficult day marked by three bogeys.
Scheffler Reflects on Challenging First Day
Speaking about his round, Scottie Scheffler expressed frustration but maintained optimism about his overall game.
“I feel like typically I’m good at scoring and today I felt like I didn’t score at all,”
Scheffler said.
“Like anything that kind of went wrong seemed to be going that direction and I just felt like I scored poorly. I actually feel like I’m playing pretty well, [it was] just one of those days.”
He also noted the difficulty of posting low scores at Pebble Beach, especially when playing later in the day.
“I guess the challenge [at Pebble Beach] is making a bunch of birdies. I’m looking at the leaderboard on behind you right now and it looks like 7 under gets you in the top-10, so scores are pretty low.
When you’re playing later in the day it can be tough to hole putts on these greens.”
Other Notable Performances and Early Season Context
British golfer Justin Rose closed with a 69, just one stroke behind his compatriot Harry Hall, who also performed solidly. In contrast, Swedish player Ludvig Aberg continued to face difficulties early in the season with seven bogeys resulting in a 75, highlighting ongoing challenges in his game.
Looking Ahead to the Rest of the Tournament
The leaderboard at Pebble Beach remains tightly contested as players recover from difficult opening rounds or build momentum. Ryo Hisatsune’s impressive performance positions him as a frontrunner, while McIlroy and Scheffler both face the task of recovering lost ground in the coming days. The proximity of scores suggests that strong play in the next rounds will be essential to securing a top finish at this prestigious event.
Fans can continue to follow the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am live on Sky Sports Golf, with live coverage scheduled to resume Friday at 4:45 pm, ensuring ongoing drama on the course.
