Ryo Hisatsune Cards 62 to Lead AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am as Gotterup Hits 64

Ryo Hisatsune seized a one-shot lead at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with a 10-under 64, while Chris Gotterup set a 25-year PGA Tour record with six opening birdies.

Ryo Hisatsune fired a 10-under-par 62 at Pebble Beach on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead over Keegan Bradley and Sam Burns at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Hisatsune secured the top spot on the leaderboard by recording three consecutive birdies during his early holes, the lone birdie on the par-4 ninth, and a closing stretch of three straight birdies. He leads a field competing for a $20 million purse in this signature event, having qualified following a runner-up finish at Torrey Pines. Trailing the lead by two strokes is Chris Gotterup, who posted an 8-under 64 after extending a streak of nine consecutive birdies dating back to his victory at the Phoenix Open last week.

Chris Gotterup made PGA Tour history during the opening round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am by becoming the first player in 25 years to start a tournament with six straight birdies immediately following a win in his previous start. His run began with a short birdie putt on the first hole, followed by a 10-footer on the par-5 second and a wedge shot that nearly holed out on the third. By the time he reached the sixth green, he was 6-under-par. This performance follows his win in the desert where he finished with three straight birdies, including one in a playoff. Gotterup is now the eighth golfer in a quarter-century to open any tour event with at least six consecutive birdies or better.

Scoring Surges at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill

Keegan Bradley and Sam Burns sit in a tie for second place at 9-under-par. Bradley recorded his 63 at Spyglass Hill, a venue where the field scoring average was approximately 1.5 shots higher than at Pebble Beach. His round was highlighted by a birdie-eagle-birdie sequence on the eighth hole, which included a chip-in from just off the green. Despite describing the poa annua greens as soft and occasionally bumpy, Bradley maintained a bogey-free card to post the lowest score of the day at Spyglass.

Sam Burns matched the 9-under total at Pebble Beach, fueled by a dominant putting performance where he led the entire field. Burns utilized a 45-foot putt on the 10th hole and a 30-foot conversion on the 17th to keep bogeys off his scorecard. His back nine featured five birdies in a six-hole span, including a successful 30-yard pitch-in on the 13th. Earlier in his round, Burns attacked the par-3 eighth hole over the ocean, landing a bold approach shot 12 feet from the cup between a back pin and a greenside bunker.

Leaderboard Contenders and Course Conditions

Tony Finau and Patrick Rodgers are currently tied for fourth place alongside Gotterup after both players shot 64 at Spyglass Hill. They sit one stroke ahead of former tournament champions Nick Taylor and Tom Hoge, who each opened with 65s. Jordan Spieth remains in contention after a round of 66, a score bolstered by holing out a full wedge for an eagle at Spyglass Hill. The field took advantage of calm conditions and gorgeous weather, which rendered the first seven holes at Pebble Beach particularly vulnerable; Hisatsune played that stretch in 5-under while Gotterup played it in 6-under.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy struggled to keep pace in his first PGA Tour start of the year. Playing at Spyglass Hill, McIlroy suffered two separate three-putt double bogeys on par-5 holes, which limited him to a 4-under 68. Despite the setbacks, he remains within six shots of the lead heading into the second round. The overall scoring environment was so aggressive that a 7-under-par total was required to reach the top 10 of the leaderboard by the end of Thursday's play.

Scheffler Struggles with Consistency

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler finished the day with an even-par 72, leaving him ten shots behind Hisatsune. Scheffler’s round faltered early at the par-5 second hole when a clump of mud on his ball sent an approach shot 30 yards left of the green. He managed only one birdie during the high-scoring opening stretch at Pebble Beach and failed to record a single putt longer than 8 feet. Statistically, Scheffler hit only two approach shots inside 10 feet and missed both resulting birdie opportunities.

This performance marks the first time since May 2021 that Scheffler has shot even-par or worse in the opening round of consecutive starts, following a similar 73 at the Phoenix Open. As the wind increased during his trek back toward the clubhouse, he was unable to mount a rally. Scheffler noted that the primary challenge of the day was simply keeping up with the low scores posted by the rest of the field. He now faces a significant deficit as the tournament progresses through its two-course rotation.