Bold start: This article’s core message is that Pebble Beach’s Moving Day will redefine the leaderboard, and understanding the details helps you follow the drama more clearly.
Rewritten Content:
Pebble Beach’s Moving Day has arrived, and the battle to conquer the Pebble Beach Pro-Am’s final 36 holes at Spyglass Hill promises plenty of excitement over the next two days. Heading into Round 3, Akshay Bhatia and Ryo Hisatsune sit atop the leaderboard as co-leaders, holding a one-shot advantage over Rickie Fowler and Sam Burns.
Close behind are Min Woo Lee, just three back, and a cluster tied for 10th that includes Matt Fitzpatrick, Keegan Bradley, Hideki Matsuyama, Xander Schauffele, and Jordan Spieth, all aiming to erase a five-shot deficit before the day ends. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler faces a tougher challenge, trailing by nine shots after starting with rounds of 72 and 66, while Rory McIlroy is just one behind the pack, looking up from six behind the leaders. The difficulty for Scheffler intensifies as he tries to overcome a nine-shot gap, a tall order after his opening rounds.
Viewers can watch Round 3 of the 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am live from 3–7 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com, and the CBS Sports App. Stay tuned here for live scores, statistics, analysis, and highlights from Pebble Beach.
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Sam Burns nearly makes an ace at Pebble Beach’s iconic 7th hole after a near-miss with his tee shot and a sand-wedge flight that danced on the lip before stopping short of the hole. Although he could not convert the short birdie chance and posted a pars, Burns came close to delivering a highlight of the week. He’s the third player to threaten the 7th hole’s potential ace, following near-misses by Russell Henley and Shane Lowry.
Akshay Bhatia stretches his lead to three strokes by birdieing four of his first five holes, reaching 19 under and building a cushion as stronger winds begin to influence play. The early stretch under windy conditions increases the importance of a fast start, giving Bhatia room to weather tougher later holes while others chase.
Bhatia reclaims the solo lead with a birdie-birdie start at 17 under, moving ahead of Burns and Hisatsune. He remains the only player in the field without a bogey, underscoring his consistency through two solid rounds.
A sharp wedge sets up an immediate birdie chance, followed by another birdie after a green-side bunker save, helping him stay flawless on the week in scrambling.
The wind is forecast to strengthen as the day wears on, which makes Bhatia’s early efficiency especially valuable, as it gives him a comfortable buffer while the gusts pick up.
Shane Lowry hits the 7th hole’s near-miss for a potential ace again, after nearly holing a wedge on No. 7 for the second consecutive year. He taps in for a birdie to reach 11 under and sit among the top 20, with the possibility of a more dramatic moment looming as the wind picks up.
Sam Burns jumps to the lead with an eagle on No. 1, following Jake Knapp’s eagle on the previous group and moving Burns to 16 under. Burns’ strong approach and short game help him seize early momentum, contrasting with his usual reliance on putting.
Rory McIlroy suffers a triple bogey on the 4th hole, a 325-yard par-4 that turned into a disaster for last year’s winner. A misjudged drive to the right, a tough lie, and a series of difficult chips and bunkers culminate in a seven, dropping him to eight under and effectively ending his realistic chances of repeating.
Jake Knapp, meanwhile, holes out for eagle on No. 1, moving to 13 under and into a tie for fifth as the field begins to bunch up behind the leaders. The early round’s combination of soft greens and light wind makes eagles on par-4s feasible, signaling an active afternoon for the leaders.
Shane Lowry starts hot with three straight birdies, pushing into the top 10 at 11 under. As conditions are relatively calm early, expect aggression from players who want to press their advantage before afternoon winds intensify.
Pebble Beach remains scorable at the start of Saturday’s third round, with favorable conditions for 19 of the 36 players under par through the opening four holes. J.T. Poston leads this subset at three under through four and positions himself for a late rally.
For players teeing off before the leaders, capitalizing on the favorable morning weather is crucial, as winds are forecast to rise around 1 p.m. Pacific Time and strengthen as the day progresses. This shift will likely compress the leaderboard as the afternoon session unfolds, especially into the final round amid rain and windy conditions.
