Bhatia and Hisatsune share Pebble
Beach lead. Travis Kelce and amateurs head home
[February 14, 2026]
By DOUG FERGUSON
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Far removed from the false hopes Taylor
Swift would make an appearance at Pebble Beach, Akshay Bhatia and
Ryo Hisatsune went about their business quietly at Spyglass Hill and
wound up with a share of the lead Friday in the AT&T Pebble Beach
Pro-am.
Bhatia was bogey-free over two days at Pebble Beach and Spyglass
Hill, both dry days with a mild breeze and soft greens that allowed
for good scoring on both courses. He had six birdies and chipped in
from 50 feet for eagle on the 14th hole on his way to a 64.
Hisatsune, who opened with a 62 at Pebble Beach, stumbled in the
middle of his round with consecutive bogeys, which he offset with
enough birdies (and one eagle) before and after for a 67.
They were at 15-under 129, the lowest 36-hole since the tournament
moved to a two-course rotation in 2024 as a signature event.
Rickie Fowler (64) and Sam Burns (67), both at Spyglass Hill, were
one shot behind. Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth and defending
champion Rory McIlroy were lurking. Scottie Scheffler finally got it
going by playing his last seven holes in 5 under for a 66, though
the world's No. 1 player was still nine shots behind going into the
weekend.
“I’d say ‘inched’ would be the operative word there,” Scheffler said
of his progress. “We’ll see how it shakes out at the end of the day.
I mean, it’s going to take two pretty special rounds, really three
special rounds, but you’re never out of it. We’ll see what happens
with the weather.”
The big speculation Friday was not so much the weather, but if Swift
was going to show up to watch her fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs tight
end Travis Kelce, playing at Pebble Beach.
There was a big crowd. There was a big buzz. There was no Swift, who
is said to be in town, but not on the golf course. She still led to
a spike in ticket sales — $60,000 worth when Kelce was announced as
part of the amateur field, $21,000 in the 12-hour window before he
played Pebble.
“It was busy without her,” said Mackenzie Hughes, who played in the
group. “With her, I think it would have literally been pandemonium.”
The only pandemonium was keeping track of who was going low and
where. The best of the weather was Thursday, and it's no surprise
the leading four players played Pebble Beach that day.
“I thought that yesterday was a good day to be out here,” Spieth
said after he wrapped up a 68 at Pebble Beach. “Got decently
challenging towards the end here today, but the greens are so
receptive and they’re not super fast out here right now.
[to top of second column] |
Ryo Hisatsune, from Japan, prepares to putt on the ninth hole at
Spyglass Hill Golf Course during the second round of the AT&T Pebble
Beach Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif., Friday, Feb.
13, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
“Pebble’s going to show more of its teeth the next
two days.”
There is no 36-hole cut at this signature event, except for Kelce,
Pau Gasol, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the rest of the amateurs.
Bhatia, who tied for third in the Phoenix Open last week, now has
gone 44 holes without a bogey over his last three rounds.
“Bogey-free around these golf courses is great,” Bhatia said.
“Greens can get bumpy, you can get some really tough putts with how
much slope’s on the greens. So I’ve been really steady inside 5 to 6
feet. ... It's just fun when you feel like you're in a groove.”
McIlroy has been trying to get there in his first U.S. start this
year. He had a pair of three-putt double bogeys from the 4-foot
range that slowed him at Spyglass Hill. He started well and was
trending early on the back nine at Pebble Beach until he shanked a
chip into a bunker from an awkward spot right of the green on the
par-5 14th, leading to a bogey.
“I feel like I’ve been a little bit wasteful the last two days and
maybe not capitalized on those great starts,” said McIlroy, who was
six shots behind.
Scheffler felt he wasn't scoring very well Thursday, and he got more
of the same at Spyglass Hill until a string of good shots, good
putts and a chip in for eagle on the par-5 seventh hole. He was nine
shots behind, with another challenge trying to extend his streak of
17 straight finishes in the top 10. He was in a tie for 33rd.
They all head to Pebble Beach for the final two rounds, and
Hisatsune figures he might not see the same course where he shot 62
on Thursday.
“Hopefully, no wind,” Hisatsune said.
One thing was certain — the wind had a better chance of showing up
than Taylor Swift.
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