PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — With temperatures dropping and strong winds swirling, it wasn’t the most favorable day for a stroll along the shore. Nevertheless, Scottie Scheffler found a remarkable way to salvage his round during the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Friday.
On the par-5 18th hole, Scheffler’s tee shot veered off to the left and headed toward the Pacific Ocean. Although he didn’t visualize his ball hitting the rocks or plunging into the water, he faced the dilemma of taking a penalty drop about 40 yards ahead at the end of the tee box. Instead, he decided to trek approximately 300 yards to inspect the beach. His actions paid off.
“I spotted a ball on the beach, ventured down, located mine, shifted some rocks, struck it out, reached the green, and two-putted,” Scheffler recounted, maintaining a sense of ease about the ordeal.
His successful recovery required a bit of luck, beginning with the discovery of his golf ball. He navigated a treacherous path down a rocky 5-foot ledge and back a short distance to find a suitable spot at sea level, all while maneuvering carefully to avoid slipping. After managing to adjust the surrounding rocks and seaweed, he executed a skilled shot with a wedge to lift the ball over the cliff and closer to the fairway. Once there, he hit a solid 6-iron from 179 yards, landing it toward the back right of the green. He then needed just two putts from 40 feet to save par and post a score of 2-under 70.
Heading into the weekend, Scheffler found himself trailing by seven shots but remained very much in contention—fortunate not to be further behind. “I’ve made some good pars,” he remarked. “That one was just luckier than most.”
Scheffler isn’t the only golfer who has encountered the beach from which Pebble Beach derives its name. Notably, Brandt Snedeker made a birdie from the sandy shores back in 2019. Scheffler, after his tee shot challenge, would have happily settled for a 5 from that spot and expressed few grievances regarding his overall performance, especially considering this was his first serious competition in almost two months.
The player had undergone minor surgery on his right hand after glass had punctured his palm while he was cutting homemade ravioli over the Christmas holidays. He noted that his swing looked good and that his hand felt fine, though there was a hint of rustiness evident in his game.
One instance of this rust was clear—a semi-shank on the 11th hole, where he mishit a lob wedge from 82 yards, resulting in his only bogey of the day. Conversely, he showcased brilliance with a remarkable 6-iron shot over the ocean that landed just 2 feet from the hole on No. 8, which is known to be one of the hardest holes on the course.
“I don’t think I’ve quite found peak performance yet over the last two days out here,” Scheffler analyzed. “If you look at my strokes gained-ball striking stats, they’re probably not up to par with what they usually are, which can be attributed to a bit of competitive rust as I ease back into tournament play. Having only two bogeys, with one being a semi-shank, feels like a decent outcome.”
