Rory McIlroy kicked off his PGA Tour season in spectacular fashion, securing a remarkable two-shot victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. McIlroy entered the final round trailing Ryder Cup teammate Sepp Straka by one shot, but surged ahead with a phenomenal back-nine performance.
With a stunning six-hole stretch where he scored five under par, including an eagle on the par-five 14th, McIlroy established a four-stroke lead. He ended the day with a six-under 66, finishing at 21 under par, marking his 27th career victory on the PGA Tour.
Despite Shane Lowry’s impressive finish, which included five birdies in the last eight holes, he finished solo second. Justin Rose’s dramatic eagle on the final hole propelled him to a share of third place alongside Lucas Glover. Tom Kim, who briefly shared the lead, slipped to a tie for seventh, while world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler made a solid return from injury, tying for ninth.
McIlroy Triumphs Over Fellow Ryder Cup Teammates
Straka lost his advantage early on, unable to save par from the sand on the first hole. McIlroy and Lowry capitalized on this error, both making birdies on the par-five second to move into the lead.
The competition remained tight as McIlroy briefly took the lead following a mistake by Lowry on the third hole. However, it quickly turned into a three-way tie again after Lowry made a birdie on the fourth hole, bringing Rose into the mix.
Despite a three-putt par on the par-five sixth, McIlroy regained his lead with a birdie on the par-three seventh. Missing a birdie opportunity on the next hole, he made a crucial eight-foot birdie on the 12th, further extending his lead before a decisive eagle on the 14th.
As the tournament progressed, Lowry showcased his skills with three birdies from the 11th hole onward, yet failed to capitalize on a closer chance on the 17th hole, allowing McIlroy to head to the last hole with a three-shot buffer.
In a strategic move, McIlroy laid up on the final par-five hole and made two-putts from 30 feet to seal his victory—his first PGA Tour win since the Wells Fargo Championship in May. Lowry finished strong by birdieing the 18th, positioning him solo in second place, while Glover also finished at 18 under, tying with Rose who concluded his round with a remarkable eagle.
McIlroy’s Historic Win
This victory marks McIlroy’s first in California since 2015 and reinforces his record of winning at least once on the PGA Tour for eight consecutive seasons. “Winning at a cathedral of golf like Pebble Beach is incredibly special,” he remarked.
Looking ahead, McIlroy expressed determination to maintain this momentum as the PGA Tour heads to the WM Phoenix Open. The upcoming tournament will feature Scottie Scheffler as a highlight and Nick Taylor returning as the defending champion. McIlroy is also set to participate in the Genesis Invitational from February 13-16, showing no signs of slowing down after his recent success.
