AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am - Round Three Leaderboard
-19 A Bhatia (US); -17 C Morikawa (US), J Knapp (US), S Straka (Aut); -16 J Bridgeman (US); -15 H Matsuyama (Jap); -14 T Fleetwood (Eng), M W Lee (Aus), S Burns (US), M McNealy
Selected others: -13 X Schauffele (US), J Speith (US); -9 R McIlroy (NI), Justin Rose (Eng)
Bhatia Takes Lead Amid Challenging Weather
Akshay Bhatia capitalized on challenging, blustery conditions to take a two-shot lead heading into the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. His performance was highlighted by six birdies in the first seven holes, which propelled him ahead early in the day.
Bhatia entered the day tied at 15 under par with Ryo Hisatsune but quickly distanced himself from the field. At one point, his lead extended to five shots. However, a bogey on the 17th hole reduced his advantage to two strokes.
Strong gusts of wind caused delays on the final green, and a missed birdie putt resulted in Bhatia carding a 68 for the round, positioning him at 19 under par overall.
Morikawa and Others Close In
Collin Morikawa, also from the United States, posted an impressive 10-under-par round of 62, moving him into second place at 17 under. Morikawa is seeking his first victory in nearly two and a half years.
Jake Knapp, another American, recorded an eagle on the last hole, matching an eagle on the first, to finish with a 66 and join Morikawa in second place. Austrian Sepp Straka's 67 resulted in a three-way tie for second.
Defending Champion McIlroy Falls Back
Defending champion Rory McIlroy, who began the day six shots off the lead, struggled to make ground. An even-par 72 left him trailing by 10 strokes, diminishing his chances of repeating his previous success.
Final Round Adjustments Due to Weather
Forecasts predict heavy rain and strong winds for Sunday, prompting officials to move the start times for the final round earlier. The round will now commence between 07:22 and 09:45 local time, with players teeing off in threesomes from split tees to accommodate the weather conditions.
