Akshay Bhatia's Birdie Run Puts Him Ahead at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is heating up, with Akshay Bhatia taking the lead after the third round. With a two-shot advantage, Bhatia is on track for his first victory in nearly two and a half years. But it wasn't always smooth sailing for the American golfer.
Bhatia started the day tied for the top spot with Ryo Hisatsune at 15 under. However, a series of six birdies in his first seven holes propelled him to a lead that was as high as five shots at one point. The blustery conditions in California didn't deter him, but a bogey at the 17th hole cut his lead to just two strokes.
The final green presented a new challenge, with strong gusts slowing down play. Despite a missed putt for birdie, Bhatia managed a score of 68, finishing at 19 under. His performance was impressive, but it wasn't the only highlight of the day.
Collin Morikawa, another American golfer, climbed the leaderboard with a 10-under-par round, securing second place at 17 under. The real surprise came from Jake Knapp, who made an eagle at the last hole, matching his earlier eagle at the first. This moved him into joint-second place with a total score of 66.
The Austrian Sepp Straka joined the fray with a 67, creating a three-way tie. However, the defending champion, Rory McIlroy, had a tougher day. Despite starting with two birdies, he fell further behind with a three-over-par seven at the fourth hole and a double bogey at the last, finishing with an even par 72 and trailing by 10 strokes.
With heavy rain and strong winds forecast for Sunday, the tournament's final round has been moved forward. The new start times are from 07:22 to 09:45 local time, with threesomes off split tees. The weather conditions will undoubtedly add an extra layer of challenge, but the excitement is only just beginning.
