Bhatia and Hisatsune Light Up Pebble in Signature Event Showcase—But the Real Story is Scheffler’s Silence

I’ve been covering professional golf long enough to know that the loudest moments at a tournament often come from the quietest players. So while everyone was fixating on Taylor Swift’s no-show at Pebble Beach on Friday, I found myself watching something far more interesting unfold: Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player, sitting nine shots behind the lead and barely making a ripple in the conversation.

That’s either the most dangerous situation on the PGA Tour, or it’s a sign that something in Scheffler’s game needs genuine attention. I haven’t decided which yet.

When Bogey-Free Golf Becomes the New Normal

Let’s start with what went right, because Akshay Bhatia and Ryo Hisatsune have genuinely impressed through 36 holes at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Bhatia’s 64 on Friday extended his remarkable streak to 44 consecutive holes without a bogey across his last three rounds. That’s the kind of disciplined golf that wins tournaments—and frankly, it’s becoming his calling card.

“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.”

What strikes me about this quote is the humility wrapped inside it. Bhatia isn’t talking about the eagle chip from 50 feet on 14. He’s talking about managing expectations and staying steady. Having caddied in the ’90s for Tom Lehman, I learned that the players who last in this game aren’t the ones chasing the highlight reel—they’re the ones who understand that bogey-free stretches are built on boring consistency, especially in the 5-to-6-foot range where most tournaments are won or lost.

Hisatsune’s 62 at Pebble Beach on Thursday has already faded somewhat in the narrative after his 67 at Spyglass Hill, but here’s the thing: the man’s at 15-under for 36 holes. That’s not a fluke. The 2024 move to a two-course rotation has created the lowest 36-hole scores we’ve seen since the format changed, and both leaders have proven they can handle different tests in consecutive days.

The Thursday Advantage Nobody’s Talking About

One detail from the article jumped out at me: all four of the leaders played Pebble Beach on Thursday, the best weather day of the tournament. In 35 years of covering this tour, I’ve learned that course rotation matters more than people realize, especially in a pro-am format where conditions can swing dramatically.

“I thought that yesterday was a good day to be out here,” Spieth said. “Got decently challenging towards the end here today, but the greens are so receptive and they’re not super fast out here right now. Pebble’s going to show more of its teeth the next two days.”

Spieth’s reading of Pebble Beach is exactly right. This isn’t pessimism; it’s experience talking. The golf course is about to tighten up considerably. Watch for the leaders—particularly Bhatia and Hisatsune—to protect rather than attack over the weekend. That’s when we’ll see who has the mental fortitude to stay in the groove.

The Scheffler Conundrum

Now, back to what’s really bothering me about this leaderboard. Scottie Scheffler is nine shots back after 36 holes at a signature event he should theoretically be able to dominate. His 66 on Friday—built on a stretch of 5-under golf over his last seven holes—felt more like triage than the kind of aggressive scoring we’re accustomed to seeing from the world’s No. 1.

“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.”

Here’s where my experience kicks in: when the best player in the world is talking about needing “two pretty special rounds,” you’re either witnessing a temporary glitch or the early signs of something requiring adjustment. I don’t buy into the doom-and-gloom narrative some folks are pushing. Scheffler’s been world No. 1 through enough different conditions and seasons to prove he’ll figure it out. But nine shots is a mountain at Pebble Beach, especially when the top of the leaderboard is playing bogey-free golf.

His streak of 17 consecutive top-10 finishes is in genuine jeopardy if the guy playing 33rd doesn’t make a serious move. That matters for his psyche heading into the major season.

The Swift Effect and the Substance Question

I’d be remiss not to address the elephant that wasn’t in the room. Yes, Taylor Swift’s rumored appearance generated legitimate buzz—$60,000 in ticket sales when Travis Kelce was announced, another $21,000 in the 12 hours before his round. That’s not nothing in terms of PGA Tour revenue and fan engagement.

But here’s what I actually appreciated: the golf itself didn’t get overwhelmed by the celebrity spectacle. Mackenzie Hughes’ observation that her group stayed focused despite the buzz speaks volumes about professional golf’s resilience as a sport. The amateurs weren’t making the cut anyway, and the tour kept the main event centered on the actual competitors.

Pebble Beach over the next two rounds will tell us everything we need to know. The weather’s expected to tighten conditions, the wind could show up, and suddenly that 15-under 129 lead might feel a lot more fragile than it does right now. Bhatia’s proven he belongs at the top of leaderboards. Hisatsune’s shown he can score on elite courses. And Scheffler? He’s proven enough times that distance matters far less than he thinks it does.

I’m genuinely looking forward to Sunday. That doesn’t happen nearly as often as it should in professional golf.