Rory McIlroy, the defending champion, is back in the running at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, but he can't shake off the feeling of missed opportunities. With rounds of 68 and 67, he's sitting at 9 under, yet he's six shots behind the leader, Akshay Bhatia. McIlroy's frustration stems from what he calls 'wasteful' mistakes, particularly on the back nine, where he struggled to capitalize on his strong starts.
On Thursday, he played a brilliant round, but two avoidable three-putts resulted in double bogeys. Despite this, he managed a 4-under score. Friday saw a similar pattern, with an eagle and birdies pushing him to 8-under, but he dropped shots at the 10th and 14th holes. The par-5 14th hole proved particularly challenging, as McIlroy's chip shot into the bunker cost him a chance at a better score.
Despite his struggles, McIlroy remains optimistic, hoping to start strong again and make up ground. However, the first two days have highlighted the post-season rust that players need to shake off. McIlroy, who played on the DP World Tour to begin 2026, is making his first TOUR start of the season this week. His putting performance, in particular, has been middling, with more than two strokes lost on the greens.
McIlroy joins a group of star players, including Keegan Bradley, Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele, and Tommy Fleetwood, who have started solid but unspectacularly at Pebble Beach. The question remains: can McIlroy turn things around and challenge for the lead? Only time will tell, and we'll be watching closely to see if he can shake off the rust and make a move.
