PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Rory McIlroy found himself reminiscing about the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am he once watched on television, though Saturday’s round was devoid of the usual celebrities and amateurs that often steal the spotlight. The weather was a nod to the historical “Crosby Clambake,” with chilly winds sweeping in from the Pacific Ocean and light rain providing less-than-ideal conditions for golf. However, for those spectating, it was a quintessential Pebble Beach atmosphere.

Sepp Straka witnessed his shot on the 10th hole soar over the cliff and land on the beach, initiating a challenging stretch that included three consecutive bogeys. Nevertheless, he managed to bounce back with four birdies over his last five holes, finishing with a commendable 2-under 70, putting him one stroke ahead of both McIlroy and Shane Lowry. “It’s tough to stay dry, the ball doesn’t land where you expect, and putting becomes a challenge. I was quite pleased with how I tackled that today,” Straka remarked.

Tom Kim executed an impressive shot with a 7-iron, driving from 103 yards downhill on the seventh hole, while Scottie Scheffler struck an incredible 5-iron that landed unexpectedly far away from him at 155 yards. “I bogeyed the 9th and made par on the 10th, but I felt like I was gaining on the competition,” Lowry commented. “It may not appear that way on television, but out there, the conditions were brutal.”

As the players exited the course, Straka led a leaderboard that had a distinctly European flavor, featuring players like McIlroy, Lowry, and Justin Rose, as Straka aimed to secure his second consecutive title on the PGA Tour. McIlroy exhibited impressive play amidst the dreadful weather, navigating the exposed areas of Pebble Beach without a single bogey, carding a remarkable 65.

“It feels much more genuine to experience what the Pebble Beach Pro-Am is meant to be like,” said McIlroy, who is participating in this tournament for only the third time. Lowry kicked off his round with a birdie-eagle-birdie sequence, enabling him to compensate for a few errors later, ultimately finishing strong with two birdies over the last three holes for another 65.

Despite the connection to their Irish roots, both McIlroy and Lowry weren’t particularly fond of the conditions. “Sure, the weather might agree with me to some extent, but I don’t enjoy it,” Lowry noted. “I chose to live in Florida for a reason. My game is well-prepped for handling these types of conditions, and I just focused on making pars when possible.”

Straka, fresh off a win in the California desert, made an impressive sand save to secure a final birdie on his way to a total of 16-under 200, just ahead of McIlroy and Lowry, both of whom are also part of the Ryder Cup team. Rose, who previously won at Pebble Beach in 2023 and will represent Team Europe later this year, was trailing by one shot, alongside Kim and Cam Davis.

Scottie Scheffler, who made his 2025 debut after returning from hand surgery due to an unexpected injury, managed a solid 69, placing him six strokes back. The nostalgia of the Crosby Clambake remains a memory, with amateurs having departed by Friday, yet the difficult conditions were indeed reminiscent of olden times, as the wind was fierce enough to sway flagsticks.

McIlroy had a strategic game plan ready. When the wind picked up during his sixth hole, he communicated with caddie Harry Diamond, stating, “Let’s just try to chip our way through today.” Reflecting later, he acknowledged, “After that, I didn’t take any full swings.” He was able to save par on six occasions from rough patches and bunkers, none more vital than a 6-foot save from the tall grass near the 10th green.

That 10th hole proved to be a tricky obstacle for Straka as well. His approach veered significantly right, landing on the beach, prompting him to take a penalty rather than attempt a daring shot from the sand. He recovered to salvage a bogey but hit a rough patch with two additional bogeys, diminishing an early four-shot lead.

Focusing on his newfound confidence, Straka rebounded in the latter part of the round, nailing birdies on the 14th and 15th holes, including a 30-foot putt for the only birdie of the day on the par-3 17th, finishing strong with another birdie to close his round.

His performance sets the stage for an exciting final round, with six players within a two-shot range and Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked player, still in contention despite missing birdie opportunities on the par 5s earlier on. “I hung in on a day when I wasn’t at my best,” commented Scheffler.

McIlroy and Lowry had both made hole-in-ones earlier this week — Lowry on the seventh hole at Pebble Beach and McIlroy on the 15th at Spyglass. With their longstanding friendship at stake, they will be in the final group alongside Straka. “There are few places in the world where winning would mean more, and this is definitely one of them,” Lowry reflected. “I try to keep those thoughts aside and just focus on the task ahead.”