The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am delivered a thrilling finale, leaving fans on the edge of their seats! Collin Morikawa clinched a nail-biting victory, but not without a fight from Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, who put on a spectacular show. But here's the twist: Morikawa's win wasn't a walk in the park.
Morikawa, a two-time major champion, began the final round two strokes behind Akshay Bhatia. As the tournament progressed, he found himself further behind due to a sluggish start at Pebble Beach Golf Links, where an impending storm prompted an early tee time.
But Morikawa's resilience shone through. He turned the game around with a 34 on the front nine and seized the lead with a 10-foot birdie on the 11th, followed by consecutive birdies on the 15th. This gave him a two-shot advantage with just two holes remaining.
And this is where it gets interesting. Morikawa's victory wasn't without drama. He recovered from a bogey on the par-three 17th with a birdie on the par-five final hole, signing off with a 67 and a total score of 22 under par. But the real story is about the chase.
Scheffler, starting 13 strokes behind the halfway leader and eight back on the final day, mounted a historic comeback. He began with a 15-footer at the first, eagled the par-five second, and picked up another shot at the par-four third. Despite a missed birdie chance at the fourth, he saved par at the next and eagled the par-five sixth. A bogey at the eighth balanced out a birdie at the seventh, resulting in an impressive front-nine 30.
Scheffler's charge continued with back-to-back birdies from the 10th, briefly closing the gap to one stroke. After a bogey at the 12th, he scrambled for par at the next and took advantage of the par-five 14th to tie for the lead. However, a poor bogey at the 15th and missed opportunities on the following holes left him needing an eagle on the final hole, which he achieved with a stunning iron shot.
"I had to take risks today to stay in contention," Scheffler admitted. "I played more aggressively than usual, which led to a few bogeys. But I'm thrilled to have pulled off some remarkable shots and given myself a chance."
Meanwhile, Morikawa faced a tense finish. With Scheffler's eagle, three players were tied at 20 under, including Morikawa, Jacob Bridgeman, and Sam Burns, who had five, four, and three holes left, respectively. Morikawa scrambled for pars at the 13th and 14th, then sank a 30-foot putt to take the lead at the par-four 15th. However, a bogey at the par-three 16th brought him back to a tie.
Min Woo Lee birdied four of his last six holes to set the clubhouse lead at 21 under, matching Morikawa's score. Morikawa, facing a 19-minute wait to play his approach shot on the par-five last, found the right edge of the green and lagged a putt from the fringe to within a foot of the hole. He tapped in to secure his first PGA Tour title since the 2023 Zozo Championship in Japan.
Lee was joined by Sepp Straka, who played his final three holes in four under, and Tommy Fleetwood, who birdied four of his last six holes to tie with Scheffler, two strokes behind Morikawa.
"I never lost faith in myself," Morikawa reflected. "It seemed unlikely at the start of the week, but with determination and belief, I took it one step at a time, hitting great shots and making crucial putts."
Burns, who led after six birdies in his first 13 holes, finished tied-sixth with overnight leader Bhatia, while Bridgeman dropped to a share of eighth after bogeying two of his last three holes. McIlroy, the world No. 2, finished five shots back with an impressive eight birdies in his only bogey-free round of the week.
"I had a couple of wayward tee shots yesterday, but my game is in good shape," McIlroy commented. "I'm pleased with my performance this week and feel optimistic about the upcoming PGA Tour events."
The PGA Tour's excitement continues in California with the Genesis Invitational, hosted by Tiger Woods' foundation at Riviera Country Club. Ludvig Åberg returns as the defending champion, with coverage starting at 3:15 pm on Sky Sports Golf and full coverage from 9 pm. Will the next tournament bring another dramatic finish? Only time will tell!
