Prominent golf figures populate the 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am leaderboard, yet following two rounds, Akshay Bhatia finds himself sharing the top position going into the weekend competition.
Bhatia maintained a flawless record without any bogeys across Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill during the initial two days of the tournament, achieving a 65 at Pebble Beach on Thursday and then an impressive 8-under 64 at Spyglass Hill on Friday. His superb iron performance has been a key factor, a common strength among players excelling on Pebble Beach’s compact greens. He currently ranks third in strokes gained on approach after these first two rounds.
This young left-handed golfer has displayed exceptional play from tee-to-green. Even when he’s missed a shot, he has flawlessly recovered, making 6 out of 6 up-and-downs. This consistent recovery is crucial for success in this tournament. With the amateurs departing for the weekend, allowing professionals to concentrate exclusively on Pebble Beach, Bhatia aims to sustain his remarkable ball-striking.
Gentle breezes and receptive greens along the California coastline have set up favorable scoring opportunities. Consequently, despite Bhatia’s unblemished scorecard, Ryo Hisatsune joins him at the top. The emerging Japanese talent is maintaining his outstanding early-season performance. Although he showed a slight dip on Friday after an opening-round 62 had given him an initial advantage, he still managed a respectable 67 to keep pace at the forefront.
Heading the group of trailing competitors is Rickie Fowler, who mirrored Bhatia’s 64 at Spyglass, bringing his total to 14 under par as the weekend approaches. Fowler now finds himself positioned to compete for his initial win since 2023, aiming to sustain his strong beginning to the 2026 season.
Historically, Fowler has not excelled at Pebble Beach, yet this week he stands out as the field’s top performer with his irons, having gained 4.8 strokes on approach shots up to this point. The 37-year-old mentioned feeling physically superior this year compared to 2025, when he struggled with a shoulder ailment, despite managing to secure a top-50 finish and entry into all Signature Events that year.
“My shoulder troubled me throughout the previous year, so I focused on coping and performing as adequately as possible. Achieving a spot within the top 50 certainly earned me a break, which was a welcome benefit,” Fowler stated. “Therefore, my goal was, as I mentioned, to earn that period of rest and then reach a physical state where I could compete effectively this year.”
This prolonged break appears to be yielding positive results, evidenced by two top-20 finishes at the season’s outset and now a favorable late tee time for the weekend rounds at Pebble Beach. Fowler must maintain his excellent iron game on Saturday and Sunday to remain a contender for the title, having demonstrated exceptional precision when targeting the receptive greens so far.
The optimal period for scoring on the course was undoubtedly the initial two days, given that weather projections indicate increasing winds from Saturday afternoon, persisting at 17-21 mph throughout Sunday’s concluding round, accompanied by some rainfall. This will present a significant test for the front-runners to sustain their performance amidst rapidly shifting conditions, while simultaneously complicating efforts for the pursuing group to post low scores.
The Front-Runners
T1. Akshay Bhatia, Ryo Hisatsune (-15)
Bhatia experienced a challenging beginning to 2026, missing the cut twice, but seemingly discovered his rhythm in Phoenix last week with a T3 finish, a momentum he has brought to Pebble Beach. As a two-time PGA Tour champion, it’s evident that when Bhatia hits his stride, he can perform exceptionally. Considering the low scores posted early this week at Pebble Beach, he will be required to maintain aggressive play to achieve the most significant victory of his nascent career.
Hisatsune, in contrast, has been performing exceptionally well for the past three weeks, steadily gaining assurance in his capacity to compete against top players. Following a T2 at Torrey Pines and a T10 at TPC Scottsdale, he consistently places himself in contention and hones his ability to manage pressure during weekend play. His putting has been particularly strong this week, and he appears very comfortable on poa greens, which often challenge other golfers. It remains to be seen if this consistency will endure through the weekend, but a late tee time should feel quite familiar after his recent tournament experiences.
Both Bhatia and Hisatsune face the test of fending off the strongest field of the early season, especially as the weather is predicted to change significantly throughout the weekend.
Additional Challengers
T3. Rickie Fowler, Sam Burns (-14)
T5. Min Woo Lee, Sepp Straka, Jacob Bridgeman (-12)
T8. Tom Hoge, Jake Knapp (-11)
T10. Hideki Matsuyama, Matt Fitzpatrick, Keegan Bradley, Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele and two other players (-10)
T17. Rory McIlroy, Chris Gotterup, Tommy Fleetwood and two other players (-9)
T34. Scottie Scheffler and 10 other players (-6)
Burns reached 14 under, matching Fowler’s score, and unsurprisingly, it’s his excellent putting that has placed him among the contenders. Straka, who achieved a top 10 finish at Pebble last year, is once again well-positioned to replicate that performance in 2026, alongside Min Woo Lee in the top five.
Among the players tied for 10th are several notable figures, yet amidst numerous other major champions, Spieth is drawing the most attention this weekend. He hasn’t displayed his peak performance in quite some time, but any indication of resurgence from the three-time major winner ignites optimism for a return to his best.
Slightly trailing the leaders is Chris Gotterup, whose performance finally tapered off a bit. He will require a significant effort on Saturday to secure his third victory of this nascent season. Reigning champion Rory McIlroy is also at 9 under entering the weekend, likely feeling he squandered some scoring opportunities on Friday that could have made him an even more formidable contender for a back-to-back win.
Furthermore, Scottie Scheffler, positioned nine strokes behind the lead, rebounded dramatically from a difficult Thursday, akin to his performance last week in Phoenix, by climbing the leaderboard with a Friday 66. He will need to conjure an extraordinary performance to enter contention late on Sunday, yet given his near-miss comeback victory just a week prior, dismissing his chances is ill-advised.
Latest 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Betting Lines, Selections
- Akshay Bhatia (+340)
- Rickie Fowler (11/2)
- Ryo Hisatsune (11/2)
- Sam Burns (6-1)
- Sepp Straka (14-1)
- Min Woo Lee (16-1)
- Jake Knapp (20-1)
- Rory McIlroy (22-1)
- Jacob Bridgeman (22-1)
- Xander Schauffele (25-1)
Should the wind intensify, the dynamics of this tournament could significantly alter. It will be crucial for competitors to achieve strong starts in their third round before Sunday’s final round transforms into a struggle to endure challenging weather. I typically favor players relying on superior ball-striking over putting prowess when conditions become arduous, which directs my attention to Fowler and Straka among those slightly behind the leaders. Additionally, I find it reasonable to consider some of the initial tournament favorites, such as McIlroy and Scheffler, at longer odds, as there’s a distinct possibility that the front-runners might falter somewhat in more demanding conditions that elite players are often better equipped to navigate.
