Rory McIlroy’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am: A Week of Highs and Lows
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Rory McIlroy’s performance at the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am was a compelling narrative of near-perfection punctuated by frustrating errors. While he showcased moments of brilliance, ultimately finishing at 17-under, costly mistakes prevented him from truly contending for the title. The week highlighted both the immense talent of McIlroy and the fine line between success and disappointment in professional golf.
Dominant Play Interrupted by Costly Errors
McIlroy felt he played “winning golf” for the vast majority of his season debut. He carded an impressive 25 birdies and two eagles throughout the tournament. However, three double bogeys and a single triple bogey proved to be the difference between a potential victory and an early departure for Los Angeles ahead of next week’s event.
“Even if you turn those three doubles into bogeys and that triple into a bogey, that’s five shots and all of a sudden you’re looking at having a three-shot lead,” McIlroy reflected after his final round. Despite the setbacks, he remained optimistic, stating, “some really good stuff this week. Pretty encouraged going into next week for sure.”
A Round-by-Round Look at the Challenges
Throughout the tournament, small errors consistently hampered McIlroy’s progress. On Thursday, two inexplicable three-putts from short range resulted in a pair of double bogeys, derailing a promising start. Friday saw a similar pattern, with a messy par-5 14th hole leading to a bogey that stifled his momentum.
Saturday proved particularly challenging. After a strong start with birdies on the 2nd and 3rd holes, disaster struck on the 4th. A wayward tee shot landed off the cliff, forcing a difficult drop and a frustrating triple-bogey. Despite playing 3-under over the next 13 holes, another double-bogey on the 18th added to the frustration.
A Stellar Sunday, Ultimately Not Enough
McIlroy responded with a remarkable bogey-free, 8-under 64 on Sunday, tying for the best round of the day. However, the damage from earlier rounds proved too significant to overcome as the leaders maintained their positions higher up the leaderboard.
“One of the first starts back of the year, trying to get the sloppy stuff out of the way, which I feel like I did,” McIlroy said. “Obviously, a really solid round to play going into next week.”
Rust, Decision-Making, and Bad Swings
While McIlroy had made two starts on the DP World Tour in preparation for the tournament, he acknowledged that rust, poor decision-making, and a few unfortunate swings contributed to his struggles. He described the tee shots on Saturday that led to the triple and double bogeys as “destructive,” but also noted the impact of gusty winds.
Looking Ahead: A Year of High Expectations
2024 promises to be an intriguing year for McIlroy, following a highly emotional 2023. His Masters victory, finally completing the career Grand Slam, was a defining moment. He followed this with strong performances at The Open Championship and the Ryder Cup. Now, the question is: what’s next?
McIlroy aims to continue adding victories at prestigious courses like Pebble Beach, Riviera Country Club, Muirfield Village, and Shinnecock Hills. He also has titles to defend at THE PLAYERS Championship and the Masters. The stage is set for another compelling season.
With encouraging signs from Pebble Beach, McIlroy will be looking to maintain that form for a full 72 holes in his next outing. PGA TOUR will continue to provide coverage of his journey throughout the year.
