Rory McIlroy delivered a bogey-free 64 in the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, tying for the day's best score, but earlier mistakes kept him from contending. He finished at 17-under par after making 25 birdies and two eagles, marred by three double bogeys and a triple bogey. McIlroy expressed encouragement for upcoming events despite the setbacks.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Rory McIlroy showcased impressive golf for much of his season debut at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, playing what he described as winning golf for 94.5% of the tournament. However, a few costly errors on four holes prevented him from challenging the leaders, leading to a 17-under finish and an early departure for next week's event in Los Angeles.
McIlroy's week began promisingly but was derailed by small mishaps each day. On Thursday, two inexplicable three-putts from short range resulted in double bogeys, halting his momentum amid low scores from others. Friday saw him start strong, only to bogey the par-5 14th after reaching greenside in two strokes. Saturday proved particularly frustrating: after birdies on Nos. 2 and 3 to enter the top 10, a flared tee shot on No. 4 sent his ball off the cliff. He dropped in a tough spot, hit heavy pitches, and escaped a greenside bunker with his fifth shot, settling for a triple bogey. He rebounded with 3-under over the next 13 holes but added a double bogey on the 18th.
Sunday brought redemption with an 8-under 64, played without a bogey as leaders made the turn. "Even if you turn those three doubles into bogeys and that triple into a bogey, that's five shots and all of a sudden you're looking at having a three-shot lead," McIlroy reflected afterward, noting he was just two shots back at one point.
McIlroy attributed the errors partly to rust—despite recent DP World Tour starts finishing third and 33rd—combined with poor decisions and errant swings. "One of the first starts back of the year, trying to get the sloppy stuff out of the way, which I feel like I did," he said. "Obviously, a really solid round to play going into next week."
This performance follows an emotional 2025 for McIlroy, highlighted by his Masters victory for a career Grand Slam, a motivation dip, a runner-up at The Open to Scottie Scheffler, the Amgen Irish Open win, and Europe's Ryder Cup triumph. He looks ahead to The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, where he expressed enthusiasm for the venue, along with defending titles at THE PLAYERS Championship and the Masters.
