Hisatsune’s Brilliance Masks a Troubling Trend at Pebble Beach

After 35 years of watching professional golf—and having spent a good chunk of those years on the bag for Tom Lehman—I’ve learned that the most interesting stories at any tournament aren’t always about the guy leading. Sure, Ryo Hisatsune’s 10-under 62 is eye-catching. It absolutely is. But what really caught my attention on Day One of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am was what happened to the names conspicuously absent from the early leaderboard.

Let me start with the obvious: Hisatsune, the 23-year-old Japanese sensation, produced one of those performances that reminds you why we love this game. Six under through nine holes, then four more birdies on the back nine at Spyglass Hill. That’s the kind of scoring that doesn’t come along every week, and credit to the kid for executing at the highest level against an 80-man field containing 18 of the world’s top 20 players.

But here’s what I think matters more, and what should concern folks paying attention to the state of professional golf right now: the defending champion, the world number two, and the man who won the Players Championship just weeks ago are all chasing.

McIlroy’s Putter Betrayal

Rory McIlroy sits six shots back at four under after carding a 68. Now, I don’t want to overstate this—one round doesn’t make a season—but having watched McIlroy navigate this course dozens of times over the years, I know what his game looks like when it’s firing on all cylinders. Friday’s scorecard? That wasn’t it.

“However, his progress was checked after the turn with double bogeys at the two par-three holes – the third and the fifth – when his putter ran cold.”

Two double bogeys on par threes. That’s not bad luck or course conditions—that’s a putter that abandoned him when he needed it most. What strikes me about this is that McIlroy started so well. Consecutive birdies early, that gorgeous eagle from the bunker on the 14th at Spyglass. He had momentum. He had rhythm. And then, just like that, it evaporated.

In my experience, when your short game betrays you at Pebble Beach, especially on the par threes, it’s often a confidence issue masquerading as a technical one. The defending champion will get right. I’m not worried about his week. But I do wonder if we’re seeing the residual effects of his move to LIV and the mental toll of navigating that landscape.

Scheffler’s Silence

Then there’s Scottie Scheffler. Even par. A 72. The man who has been nearly untouchable since last spring’s Players Championship. The world number two who, by conventional wisdom, should be hunting Hisatsune’s lead, not grinding to stay relevant.

“The American, who has not finished outside a top 10 place since last year’s Player’s Championship, struggled to a disappointing even par 72.”

This one I want to keep in perspective. One bad round doesn’t signal a collapse from a generational talent. But having covered 15 Masters and countless other signature events, I’ve learned that when elite players suddenly look ordinary, it’s worth watching closely. Is this a blip? Almost certainly. But it’s a blip in a year where we’re still trying to understand how the tour’s hierarchy has been reordered by the LIV shuffle.

Where the Real Action Is

What actually intrigues me is the depth of the field. Sam Burns and Keegan Bradley at nine under, right on Hisatsune’s heels. Chris Gotterup—a two-time winner already this season—at eight under alongside Tony Finau and Patrick Rodgers. These aren’t surprise names. These are tour players executing at exactly the level you’d expect.

The $20 million purse, the signature event format with 80 of the world’s best players, the split between Spyglass Hill and Pebble Beach for rounds one and two—this is the structure the PGA Tour built to attract and hold the game’s elite. And you know what? It’s working. Hisatsune’s 62 is spectacular, but so is the overall quality on display.

Looking Ahead

Here’s what I expect to see Friday: McIlroy tightening his game, the putter behaving itself, and a defending champion making noise. Scheffler will find his rhythm—elite players don’t simply forget how to play golf. And Hisatsune? He’ll have to prove that Thursday’s magic wasn’t a lightning strike but rather the beginning of something significant.

“With the opening two rounds of the event split across two courses, Scheffler’s friend and compatriot Sam Burns fared much better at Pebble Beach golf links, to end the day in second on nine under alongside Keegan Bradley.”

The tournament’s design means momentum can shift dramatically once everyone convenes at Pebble Beach proper for the weekend. Geography matters here. Burns and Bradley had the advantage today, and that Pebble Beach advantage could prove decisive.

After three and a half decades covering this tour, I’ve learned that first-round leaderboards tell you about who played well that day, not necessarily who will play well Sunday evening. Hisatsune’s 62 is real. McIlroy’s slow start is real. But Pebble Beach has a way of reordering narratives quickly. I’ll be watching intently.