Pebble Beach (USA), Feb 16 (NationPress) Akshay Bhatia, who entered the final round with a two-stroke advantage, stumbled with a closing score of 72, finishing in a tie for sixth place, three shots shy of the tournament champion at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf event.

Bhatia, the leader after 54 holes, found it difficult to sustain his momentum, achieving only two birdies over his last 29 holes. He relinquished his lead within the first four holes of the final round and was unable to mount a comeback on a day characterized by swirling winds and mounting pressure that altered the leaderboard.

Another Indian-American player, Sahith Theegala, recorded a score of 71, landing him in a tie for 60th place.

The day, however, was dominated by Collin Morikawa, who ended a 28-month period without a victory with a determined performance amidst challenging conditions. Morikawa shot a remarkable 5-under 67, finishing with a score of 22-under 266, thereby securing a one-shot win over Sepp Straka and Min Woo Lee on Sunday.

This two-time major champion had not won in 45 tournaments, his last victory being at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan in October 2023. On Sunday, he rose to the occasion under intense pressure. After six players shared the lead at different times during a thrilling final round, Morikawa took charge with consecutive birdies, including a pivotal 4-iron shot from 235 yards on the par-5 18th hole. He expertly launched the ball over the ocean wall, allowing the wind to guide it back toward the green, and calmly two-putted from the collar to clinch the title.

Adding to the emotional weight of the victory, Morikawa announced after the round that he and his wife are expecting their first child this spring.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler made a stunning comeback, starting the day eight strokes behind the leader. He was 7-under through the first seven holes and concluded with an impressive 63 that included three eagles. His final eagle — a 6-iron to 30 inches on the 18th — briefly tied him for the lead. Ultimately, he finished just one shot behind, tying for fourth place along with Tommy Fleetwood (66), extending his streak to 18 consecutive top-10 finishes on the PGA TOUR.

The tension was palpable on the final hole as Morikawa had to endure a 20-minute wait between shots after Jacob Bridgeman’s approach ended up in the ocean from a sandy area near the beach. Despite this delay and the fierce Pacific winds, Morikawa maintained his composure.

Lee's closing score of 65, which included birdies on the final two holes, and a late bogey by Morikawa on the par-3 17th ensured a nail-biting finish. However, Morikawa's calmness during the closing moments proved to be decisive, marking a long-awaited return to the winner's circle at one of the PGA TOUR's hallmark events.