Bhatia takes solo lead into final day

Bhatia takes solo lead into final day

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am R3

Akshay Bhatia

Akshay Bhatia started the day with a share of the lead and fired six birdies on the front nine to make the turn in 30 before adding two bogeys for a 4-under 68. He retains the solo lead at 19-under heading into the final day at Pebble Beach.

“It was kind of blowing perfect, say 10 to 15. Similar direction we had in the practice round. I mean, we were hitting all a bunch of different shots just for fun and actually to live it the last couple holes was pretty challenging,” said Bhatia.

“So all in all, yeah, weird day. Like felt like I lost some ground towards the end but then I realized, like dude, it just played so much harder for some of the guys that were in some of the last tee times.

“I’ve had some tough goes on Saturdays and Sundays last couple years, or I guess last year especially. I think last week was a huge week for me to feel comfortable. This week going into today, I mean, I felt really good. I think again having Joe Greiner, my caddie, on the bag has been great because he’s left handed, we have great vibes. It’s only our fourth week together and for whatever reason I just feel like we make a good team and I just feel, yeah, pretty comfortable.”

The American holds his fourth 54-hole lead/co-lead on the PGA Tour (most recent: 2025 3M Open/finished T25) and he is 1-for-3 on converting a 54-hole lead to a victory (2024 Valero Texas Open).

Bhatia is playing in his 100th career start on Tour and fourth start this season  (MC/The American Express, MC/Farmers Insurance Open, T3/WM Phoenix Open).

American Collin Morikawa hit all 18 greens in regulation during his third-round and shot the round of the day with a 62, including five birdies in his final six holes and one bogey to reach 17-under and take a share of second place.

He leads the field in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (11.427), Strokes Gained: Approach the Green (8.891).

This marks the third time in his career he hit every green in regulation (2019 John Deere Classic/R4, 2025 Sentry/R3). He is the seventh player since 1985 to hit all 18 greens in regulation at Pebble Beach Golf Links during the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The others were Akshay Bhatia (2021/R1), Ryan Palmer (2008/R2), Davis Love III (2006/R2), Tom Lehman (2000/R4), Peter Jacobsen (1995/R4), Jack Nicklaus (1985/R4).

The six-time PGA Tour winner is seeking his first win since the 2023 Baycurrent Classic.

Jake Knapp eagled the par-4 1st and par-5 18th and made one bogey for a 66 and a share of second place alongside Austrian Sepp Straka who fired eight birdies and three bogeys for a 67.

Playing in back-to-back groups, Knapp and fellow American Sam Burns (T7/-14) holed out for eagles on the par-4 first hole from 130 and 156 yards, respectively. This marks the fifth time the first hole has had multiple hole outs in a round, led by three during the final round in 2012 (Kevin Na, Tom Gillis, Brian Harman).

Knapp’s later eagle at the 18th made him the first player in a non-major championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links to bookend a round with eagles. He is the 10th player during the Shotlink era to start and finish a round with eagles.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler of the USA signed for a bogey-free 67 and trails by eight strokes at T22.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland made one bogey and double bogeys at the par-4 4th and par-5 18th to close with an even-par 72. He is currently T39 at 9-under.

PosPlayerTo ParR1R2R3Total
1Akshay Bhatia(PB)-19656468197
T2Collin Morikawa(PB)-17696862199
T2Sepp Straka(PB)-17666667199
T2Jake Knapp(PB)-17666766199
5Jacob Bridgeman(PB)-16676568200
6Hideki Matsuyama(PB)-15676767201
T7Maverick McNealy(PB)-14677263202
T7Tommy Fleetwood(PB)-14676867202
T7Sam Burns(PB)-14636772202
T7Min Woo Lee(PB)-14676570202
T11Ben Griffin(PB)-13706865203
T11Nico Echavarria(PB)-13696965203
T11Shane Lowry(PB)-13676967203
T11Xander Schauffele(PB)-13696569203
T11Jordan Spieth(PB)-13666869203
T11Tom Hoge(PB)-13656870203
T11Ryo Hisatsune(PB)-13626774203
T11Rickie Fowler(PB)-13666473203
T19Alex Noren(PB)-12687066204
T19Brian Harman(PB)-12686967204
T19Matt Fitzpatrick(PB)-12666870204
T22Scottie Scheffler(PB)-11726667205
T22Robert MacIntyre(PB)-11716866205
T22Max McGreevy(PB)-11696868205
T22Ryan Fox(PB)-11726469205
T22Max Greyserman(PB)-11686869205
T22Harris English(PB)-11736369205
T22Nick Taylor(PB)-11656971205
T22Chris Gotterup(PB)-11647170205
T22Keegan Bradley(PB)-11637171205
T31J.T. Poston(PB)-10677168206
T31Harry Hall(PB)-10687167206
T31Jason Day(PB)-10706868206
T31Alex Smalley(PB)-10686969206
T31Ryan Gerard(PB)-10726866206
T31Patrick Cantlay(PB)-10667169206
T31Tony Finau(PB)-10647270206
T31Russell Henley(PB)-10666971206
T39Sami Valimaki(PB)-9677169207
T39Justin Rose(PB)-9697068207
T39Pierceson Coody(PB)-9696870207
T39Rory McIlroy(PB)-9686772207
T39Bud Cauley(PB)-9686772207
T39Patrick Rodgers(PB)-9647073207
T45Chris Kirk(PB)-8696970208
T45Mackenzie Hughes(PB)-8667171208
T47Michael Kim(PB)-7687071209
T47Cameron Young(PB)-7687071209
T47Kurt Kitayama(PB)-7726770209
T47Taylor Pendrith(PB)-7716969209
T47Sam Stevens(PB)-7697268209
T52Viktor Hovland(PB)-6706971210
T52Wyndham Clark(PB)-6697071210
T52Emiliano Grillo(PB)-6697170210
T52Billy Horschel(PB)-6697269210
T52J.J. Spaun(PB)-6707367210
T52Ludvig Åberg(PB)-6756966210
T58Denny McCarthy(PB)-5687172211
T58Andrew Novak(PB)-5657571211
T60Sahith Theegala(PB)-4716972212
T60Keith Mitchell(PB)-4746771212
T60Aldrich Potgieter(PB)-4747068212
T63Kevin Yu(PB)-3717072213
T63Si Woo Kim(PB)-3677472213
T63Marco Penge(PB)-3736872213
T63Garrick Higgo(PB)-3717171213
T67Rico Hoey(PB)-2746674214
T67Steven Fisk(PB)-2707074214
T69Lucas Glover(PB)-1736874215
T69Stephan Jaeger(PB)-1697472215
T71Matt McCarty(PB)+1756973217
T71Brian Campbell(PB)+1786871217
T73Michael Thorbjornsen(PB)+2687773218
T73Joe Highsmith(PB)+2747173218
T75Corey Conners(PB)+3707574219
T75Aaron Rai(PB)+3777072219
77Matti Schmid(PB)+5727475221
T78Daniel Berger(PB)+6737475222
T78Jhonattan Vegas(PB)+6727674222
80Adam Schenk(PB)+7727279223
Updated: February 15, 2026