The 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is off to a roaring start, and the excitement is palpable along the Monterey Peninsula. With the first signature event of the PGA Tour's new season underway, a star-studded field is vying for a share of the tournament's staggering $20 million purse—and perhaps more importantly, a place in golf history. The action continues Friday, February 13, with the second round split between the iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links and the challenging Spyglass Hill, as the world's best look to seize early momentum and set the tone for the weekend.
Few tournaments carry the charm and unpredictability of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Celebrities and business titans tee it up alongside the game's elite, and the picturesque California coastline provides a dramatic backdrop for high-stakes golf. This year, the stakes feel even higher, with no cut in the 80-player field and every participant guaranteed a payday come Sunday. But for the likes of Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, and red-hot Chris Gotterup, it's the title—and the legacy—that matter most.
Thursday’s opening round delivered fireworks from the very start. Defending champion Rory McIlroy, making his 2026 PGA Tour debut, wasted no time reminding fans of his world-class pedigree. Starting on the 10th hole at Spyglass Hill, McIlroy birdied the par-4 to get into red numbers immediately. But the real highlight came on the par-5 14th, where he found the greenside bunker with his second shot—only to hole out for eagle. By the time he'd played six holes, McIlroy was 4 under, just two shots off the lead, which was held by Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune at 6 under through nine.
Meanwhile, Jordan Spieth, a former champion at Pebble Beach (2017), came into the week searching for a spark. After a solid T24 showing at the Sony Open to kick off his season, Spieth stumbled at last week’s WM Phoenix Open, missing the cut after a tough second-round 75. But Pebble Beach has always held a special place in his career, and Thursday proved no different. Spieth started on No. 10 at Spyglass Hill and quickly found his rhythm, going 3 under through his first eight holes. Then, on the 18th, he electrified the crowd by holing an eagle from the fairway, jumping to 5 under and closing the gap to the leaders. As he switches to Pebble Beach for Friday’s second round, Spieth will tee off at 1:16 p.m. ET alongside Xander Schauffele, hoping to ride his momentum into the weekend.
Chris Gotterup, meanwhile, is the talk of the early season. After triumphing in a dramatic playoff at the WM Phoenix Open last week—his second PGA Tour victory of 2026—Gotterup arrived at Pebble Beach looking to make history. The 26-year-old American is aiming to become the first player since Johnny Miller in 1975 to win three of the season’s first five events. And he’s wasting no time: Gotterup started his opening round at Pebble Beach Golf Links with five consecutive birdies, rolling in a 17-footer on the par-3 fifth that had the gallery buzzing. “Me and my dad had a bet when I was growing up that once I broke par, he would take me out here,” Gotterup recalled Wednesday, reflecting on his childhood dreams of playing Pebble Beach. Now, he’s living that dream on golf’s biggest stage.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is another major storyline. Scheffler, who already boasts a win this season and narrowly missed the WM Phoenix Open playoff by a single shot, is seeking his third consecutive top-10 finish at Pebble Beach. Remarkably, since 2024, Scheffler has finished in the top 10 in 92.31 percent of signature events (minimum five starts), a stat that underscores his relentless consistency. On Thursday, Scheffler teed off at 1:29 p.m. ET alongside Hideki Matsuyama, eager to continue his streak of seven straight top-4 finishes—a run that, if extended, would tie Tiger Woods for the most on the PGA Tour since 1983. That’s rarefied air, and Scheffler knows it.
The tournament format remains a fan favorite. Over the first two rounds, each player tackles both Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill, with celebrity partners adding a dash of unpredictability and fun. Friday’s tee times are stacked with marquee pairings: at Pebble Beach, Rory McIlroy plays with Jeff Rhodes at 1:29 p.m. ET, while Spieth and Schauffele share the 1:16 p.m. slot. Over at Spyglass Hill, Scottie Scheffler and David Abeles tee off at 12:24 p.m. ET, while Tommy Fleetwood, the reigning FedEx Cup champion, continues his quest for a breakthrough at Pebble Beach after a string of respectable but unspectacular finishes in prior years.
Broadcast coverage for Friday’s second round is extensive. Fans can catch all the action from 3-7 p.m. ET on Golf Channel, with exclusive early streaming available from 11:45 a.m. ET on PGA Tour Live via ESPN+. For those on the go, PGA Tour Radio on Sirius XM will provide live commentary from 1-7 p.m. ET. With the leaderboard still tightly bunched and the weather forecast calling for breezy conditions and a chance of rain, anything can happen as the field jockeys for position heading into the weekend.
Other storylines abound. Justin Rose, the 2023 Pebble Beach champion and fresh off a dominant win at the Farmers Insurance Open two weeks ago, is back in action after climbing to No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Tommy Fleetwood, now ranked world No. 4, is seeking to better his best Pebble Beach finish of T-22 from last year. The international field is as strong as ever, with Viktor Hovland, Hideki Matsuyama, and Ludvig Aberg among those with the firepower to contend.
For the fans, the Pro-Am element is always a treat. Thursday and Friday see business leaders, entertainers, and athletes teeing it up alongside the pros. Notable pairings include Keith Mitchell with NFL star Travis Kelce, Matt Fitzpatrick with Doug Mackenzie, and Rickie Fowler with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The camaraderie and light-hearted moments are part of what makes this event a perennial favorite on the PGA Tour calendar.
With a $3.6 million winner’s check up for grabs and every player in the 80-man field guaranteed a payout (thanks to the no-cut format), the pressure is both off and on. There’s room for risk-taking, but the margin for error is razor-thin with so much talent in the field. As the sun sets on the first two days, the leaderboard remains crowded, with Ryo Hisatsune setting the early pace, but the likes of Spieth, McIlroy, Gotterup, and Scheffler are all within striking distance.
As Friday’s second round unfolds, all eyes will be on the marquee groups and the shifting leaderboard. Will Gotterup’s remarkable run continue? Can Spieth recapture the magic of 2017? Is this the week McIlroy defends his title in style, or will Scheffler’s relentless pursuit of history steal the show? With unpredictable weather and the world’s best in the hunt, the drama is only just beginning at Pebble Beach. Stay tuned—this Pro-Am is shaping up to be one for the ages.