PEBBLE BEACH, CA – – Collin Morikawa ended a nearly three-year victory drought with a hard-fought win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, holding off a late charge from Scottie Scheffler and a determined effort from Australia’s Min Woo Lee. Morikawa finished at 22-under 266, securing the $3.6 million winner’s share of the $9.6 million purse.
Lee, looking for his second PGA Tour title, finished tied for second at 21-under alongside Sepp Straka, just one stroke behind Morikawa. The Australian carded a final-round 65, a strong finish that ultimately wasn’t enough to overcome Morikawa’s resilience.
The final round was a rollercoaster of momentum shifts. Scheffler, starting the day further back on the leaderboard, launched a remarkable comeback with a nine-under 63, highlighted by three eagles. His surge briefly put pressure on the leaders, ultimately landing him in a tie for fourth with Tommy Fleetwood at 20-under.
Morikawa’s victory wasn’t without its drama. A bogey on the 17th momentarily brought him level with Lee, setting the stage for a tense finish on the par-5 18th. However, the American responded with a clutch birdie, sealing the win after a roughly 20-minute delay caused by a dramatic collapse from Jacob Bridgeman in the group ahead.
Bridgeman’s misfortune on the 18th proved costly. After briefly holding a lead, a series of errors culminated in his ball ending up in the Pacific Ocean, leading to a bogey and a share of eighth place. The collapse cost Bridgeman over $4 million in prize money.
“I knew what I had to do,” Morikawa said, reflecting on the pressure of the final hole. “I think I paced all the way to the ocean ten times at least. I just had to keep moving. It’s weird to say, but these long breaks, it’s just not good for anyone to stand still. To pull off a great 4-iron and to get up-and-down, man, I need a drink.”
Scheffler’s impressive round was fueled by exceptional ball-striking and a hot putter. He gained over four shots on the field with his putting, marking his best putting performance of his career. Despite the strong finish, he ultimately fell short of catching Morikawa.
“Anytime you’ve got three eagles in one round, good things are happening,” Scheffler commented. “It was nice to take advantage of the holes early in the round to kind of put myself on the leaderboard. I did a lot of good stuff, holed a lot of nice putts, hit a lot of nice iron shots. Proud of the way I played today.”
Lee, despite falling just short, expressed pride in his performance. “Great week. Obviously just shy of making the playoff, but I gave it my all,” he said. “I’m very proud of the way I handled myself today and for the week. Played a lot of nice golf and I’ve been trending. So, it’s been good. Hopefully, we can keep the form going.”
This was Lee’s third runner-up finish on the PGA Tour. He acknowledged the importance of adapting his game to the demands of signature events, which often feature challenging course conditions with thick rough surrounding the greens. His efforts to improve his accuracy appear to be paying dividends, earning him over $3 million for his share of second place.
Rory McIlroy, the defending champion, finished at 17-under after a final-round 64, briefly holding the lead before being overtaken by Scheffler and ultimately Morikawa. Australian Jason Day finished tied for 24th at 14-under, carding three consecutive rounds of 68.
Morikawa’s victory earns him 71 Official World Golf Ranking points and 700 FedEx Cup points. The tournament featured no 36-hole cut, with all 80 players completing the 72 holes of stroke play. The PGA Tour schedule continues next week with The Genesis Invitational.