Additional Coverage:
- 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am leaderboard: Rickie Fowler surges into the hunt, Akshay Bhatia takes the lead (cbssports.com)
Pebble Beach Pro-Am Heats Up as Bhatia and Hisatsune Share Lead, Fowler Charges
Pebble Beach, CA – The 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is shaping up to be a thrilling weekend, with a packed leaderboard of golf’s biggest stars. After two rounds of play, it’s Akshay Bhatia who holds a share of the lead, showcasing an impressive bogey-free performance across Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill.
Bhatia, a young lefty, has been on fire, following up a 65 at Pebble Beach on Thursday with an 8-under 64 at Spyglass Hill on Friday. His exceptional iron play, a crucial factor on Pebble Beach’s notoriously small greens, has positioned him third in strokes gained on approach.
Even when he’s had a rare miss, Bhatia has been perfect in his up-and-downs, a testament to his sharp tee-to-green game. As the pros shed their amateur partners for the weekend and focus solely on Pebble Beach, Bhatia will be looking to maintain his incredible ball-striking.
Sharing the top spot with Bhatia is Ryo Hisatsune, the young Japanese star who continues to demonstrate stellar form early in the season. While he cooled off slightly on Friday after a blistering first-round 62, Hisatsune still carded a solid 67 to remain tied for the lead. The ideal scoring conditions, courtesy of light winds and soft greens, have certainly contributed to the low scores across the board.
Leading the charge from the chase group is Rickie Fowler, who matched Bhatia’s 64 at Spyglass to reach 14 under par. Fowler is now in prime position to contend for his first victory since 2023, building on a solid start to 2026.
Despite not traditionally excelling at Pebble Beach, Fowler has been the field’s best player with his irons this week, gaining 4.8 strokes on approach. The 37-year-old attributes his strong performance to feeling physically better this year after battling a shoulder injury in 2025.
“My shoulder was bad all last year so I was just trying to manage and get through as best that I could,” Fowler commented. “I definitely earned the time off with sneaking inside that top-50, so that was a nice bonus. So that was what I was trying to work towards to, like I said, earn that time off and then be able to get into a position where I could get the body in a better spot and go play this year.”
That extended time off appears to be paying dividends, with two top-20 finishes to start the season and a coveted late tee time for the weekend at Pebble Beach. Fowler will need to sustain his strong iron play on Saturday and Sunday to vie for the win, a challenge he’s met with exceptional precision on the soft greens so far.
Weather Alert for the Weekend
The calm conditions are set to change dramatically, with forecasts predicting winds to pick up significantly on Saturday afternoon, blowing 17-21 mph throughout Sunday’s final round, accompanied by some rain. These rapidly changing conditions will present a formidable test for the leaders and make it harder for the chase pack to post low scores.
The Leaders
- T1. Akshay Bhatia, Ryo Hisatsune (-15)
Bhatia has rebounded impressively from a rocky start to 2026, carrying his T3 form from Phoenix into Pebble Beach. A two-time PGA Tour winner, Bhatia has a history of going on a tear when he gets hot, a necessity given the week's scoring.
Hisatsune, meanwhile, has been consistently strong for three weeks, building confidence with a T2 at Torrey Pines and a T10 at TPC Scottsdale. His putter has been key this week, and he seems comfortable on poa greens.
The challenge for both will be fending off a top-tier field amidst the anticipated weather shift.
Other Contenders
- 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 others (-10)
- T17. Rory McIlroy, Chris Gotterup, Tommy Fleetwood and two others (-9)
- T34. Scottie Scheffler and 10 others (-6)
Sam Burns joins Fowler at 14 under, propelled by his signature hot putter. Sepp Straka, who posted a top-10 at Pebble last year, is also in a strong position, alongside Min Woo Lee in the top five.
Among the big names at T10, Jordan Spieth is drawing considerable attention. While not at his peak recently, any glimmer of form from the three-time major winner sparks hope for a return to his best.
Further down the leaderboard, Chris Gotterup will need a big Saturday to pursue his third win of the young season. Defending champion Rory McIlroy, at 9 under, will be looking to capitalize on opportunities he felt he missed on Friday.
Nine shots off the pace is Scottie Scheffler, who, much like last week in Phoenix, rebounded from a difficult Thursday with a Friday 66. While a victory would require something magical, his comeback last week makes it impossible to count him out.
Updated 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Odds
- 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)
With the impending wind, the tournament could see significant shifts. A fast start in the third round will be crucial before Sunday’s challenging weather.
In tough conditions, ball-striking often trumps putting, favoring players like Fowler and Straka. Don’t count out pre-tournament favorites like McIlroy and Scheffler at longer odds, as elite players may navigate difficult conditions more effectively, potentially bringing the top of the leaderboard back to them.