Reached the halfway point of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am of the PGA Tour and with the course rotation of the first two rounds completed, a picture can already be formed in the first designated event of the season on the circuit. And in the equation of the fight for victory, as was the case seven days ago, the Japanese player Ryo Hisatsune (-15) reappears, who, although he could not replicate his great performance on Thursday at Pebble Beach Golf Links at Spyglass, maintains the top spot on the leaderboard, now shared with Akshay Bhatia (-15).
The player from Okayama, who was tied for second at the Farmers a couple of weeks ago and finished in the top 10 at the WM Phoenix Open a few days ago, is trying to capitalise on his good form to secure what would be his first victory on the American tour. Today, he signed a card of 67 strokes, starting with three birdies, getting ‘stuck’ with two bogeys halfway through his round, and finishing strongly with an eagle and two more birdies in his last five holes to get into the final group of the ‘moving day’.
He will play with a Bhatia who stormed through the Spyglass Hill Golf Course today with a round of 64 strokes, with six birdies and an eagle, without any mistakes. The 24-year-old American, who won a tournament in 2023 (Barracuda Championship) and another in 2024 (Valero Texas Open), is trying to prevent the drought of 2025 from repeating itself. He started the new year by missing two consecutive cuts, but last week in Arizona he already found his rhythm with a tied third place, which he aims to improve in the first major event of the new season, coinciding with his 100th tournament on the PGA Tour.
One of the two immediate pursuers of Ryo and Akshay is none other than Rickie Fowler (-14). The Californian, who had a final putt for birdie that would have put him in the lead, changed his LAB putter a few days ago for a Scotty Cameron he had at home for almost 15 years and which, without a doubt, seems to be working for him. He is among the best this week both in strokes gained with the putter and in putts per greens in regulation. Always eager to see one of the most high-profile players on the circuit in recent years in the battle for victory.
-5 his last 7 holes for a 66!
Scottie is comin' @ATTProAm.
The deficit is just single digits into the weekend. pic.twitter.com/FpGkYO2UYt
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 13, 2026
Sam Burns (-14) completes the quartet at the top of the leaderboard, sharing the fact of having played yesterday at Pebble Beach and today at Spyglass, the order which, given the circumstances, seems to have been the most beneficial in this first half of the tournament. Today the wind blew a bit more than on Thursday, but the receptive greens of both courses continued to show themselves to be quite accommodating. Until Sunday, when it seems that the weather conditions will be somewhat more challenging with rain and wind, there are very few opportunities, so the range of contenders for the title is still very open.
In it, despite arriving at the weekend somewhat distanced, names like Sepp Straka (-12), Matt Fitzpatrick (-10), Keegan Bradley (-10), Hideki Matsuyama (-10), Nick Taylor (-10), Jordan Spieth (-10), Xander Schauffele (-10), Chris Gotterup (-9), or Tommy Fleetwood (-9), among many others, continue to feature. But let’s see who dares to rule out the two best players in the Official World Golf Ranking, capable of putting pressure on anyone as soon as they step on the accelerator…
Rory McIlroy (-9), who played Pebble Beach today, started off with a bang with a textbook eagle on the par-five 2nd and two very good birdies on the 4th and 7th, sinking medium to long-distance putts. But mistakes appeared in the second half of his round, halting his desire to have finished the day in double digits. A poor tee shot on the 10th, sending his ball into the rough, and a recovery attempt that ended in the bunker cost him his first bogey. The second, on the par-five 14th, after a second shot that flirted with out of bounds and a failed recovery to the sand. It doesn’t seem that the cigar smoked by one of the amateurs in his group for much of the round had any blame…
Finally, for Scottie Scheffler (-6), after his 72 yesterday, the tournament was already an uphill battle. Even more so after going one over par after the first four holes on Friday. But little by little, he seemed to find his rhythm, and his accuracy on the greens gave him the boost he needed. Birdie on the par-five 14th at Spyglass (starting from the 10th tee) putting for eagle; birdie on the 17th also narrowly missing eagle with a short game shot from the rough; and a fantastic series between the 3rd and 7th with three birdies and a great eagle chipping from off the green. A round of 66 and still with some chance of getting back into the tournament.
None of the 80 players participating in this first designated event of 2026 will miss the weekend as it is a no-cut tournament. So with an exciting moving day ahead and a possible battle against the elements on Sunday, there is still a lot to play for in this AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am where, from tomorrow, there will be no amateurs on the course, speeding up a game that in the first two rounds has been somewhat tedious.
