Akshay Bhatia maintained a two-stroke lead Saturday at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, while Collin Morikawa surged into contention with a career-best round of 62. Bhatia finished the third round at 19-under par, two clear of Morikawa, Jake Knapp, and Sepp Straka.
Bhatia, who began the day tied for the lead with Ryo Hisatsune, quickly established a dominant position, carding six birdies through his first seven holes. Despite a bogey on the 17th hole and a missed birdie putt on the 18th, Bhatia completed the day with a 68.
Morikawa’s performance marked a significant turnaround, fueled by a statistical anomaly in ball-striking. He hit all 18 greens in regulation, gaining 6.46 shots on the field with his approach play – the highest single-round approach gain of his PGA Tour career. Morikawa also registered an eagle on both the first and 18th holes.
Knapp also posted a 66, highlighted by an eagle on the final hole, joining Morikawa and Straka in a tie for second place. Straka carded a 67 to reach 17-under par.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy struggled on Saturday, finishing with an even-par 72. A seven at the fourth hole and a double bogey on the final hole dropped him to ten strokes behind the leader.
Tournament officials have adjusted start times for Sunday’s final round due to a forecast of heavy rain and strong winds. Threesomes will tee off between 7:22 a.m. And 9:45 a.m. Local time from split tees.
