Akshay Bhatia's Birdie Run Puts Him Ahead at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
But here's where it gets controversial... The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a highly anticipated event, and the third round didn't disappoint. With a two-shot lead, Akshay Bhatia was poised to make history, but the real drama was yet to come. As fellow American Collin Morikawa's round of 62 moved him into contention, the race for the top spot intensified.
Bhatia, who had been tied for the top spot with Ryo Hisatsune, found his stride with six birdies in his first seven holes. This put him in the lead, with a five-shot advantage at one point. However, battling blustery conditions in California, a bogey at 17 cut his lead to two shots. Gusts slowed play down on the final green, and a missed putt for birdie saw Bhatia card 68, leaving him at 19 under.
Morikawa's round of 10-under-par saw him climb the leaderboard into second at 17 under. An eagle at the last hole, having managed the same at the first, moved another American, Jake Knapp, into joint-second with his round totalling 66. Austrian Sepp Straka made it a three-way tie with a 67.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy, who started the day six shots behind, fell further behind the lead despite starting with two birdies in the opening three holes. A three-over-par seven at the fourth and a double bogey at the last saw him shoot an even par 72, leaving him trailing by 10 shots.
With heavy rain and strong winds forecast for Sunday, start times for the tournament's final round have been moved forward and will now run from 07:22-09:45 local time, with threesomes off split tees. The question remains: who will emerge victorious in this highly competitive field? And this is the part most people miss... The final round promises to be a thrilling spectacle, with the potential for dramatic comebacks and unexpected twists. Will Bhatia hold on to his lead? Or will Morikawa make a late charge? We'll find out soon enough. So, what do you think? Who will win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
