On Saturday, Rory McIlroy’s masterful display of precision and resilience at Pebble Beach propelled him to an impressive 15-under performance. His remarkable scoring came despite challenging conditions. The severity of these conditions became evident when Scottie Scheffler’s powerful 5-iron shot, typically traveling 210 yards, managed just 155 yards against the coastal elements. As players prepare for Sunday’s final round, the question looms: can they overcome even more daunting conditions to close out this iconic tournament?
The story of Saturday’s round unfolded like a classic coastal drama. What began as a seemingly routine morning of golf became an intense battle of skill versus elements. As players reached the exposed oceanside holes, the true challenge emerged, turning the stretch from holes 6 through 10 into a daunting gauntlet that tested the mettle of even the world’s finest golfers.
As conditions deteriorated throughout the day, golf’s elite shared their experiences of this coastal challenge.
Stars speak: ‘Pretty nasty’ day
Along Pebble Beach’s dramatic coastline, McIlroy battled swirling winds that transformed the iconic seventh hole into a high-stakes gamble. “Like the tee shot on 7 was just like it’s in the air and you don’t know whether to tell it to sit or go or whatever,” he recalled, as ocean spray mixed with scattered rain behind him. The Northern Irishman particularly struggled through holes 6 to 10, describing it as “the really tough stretch of the golf course,” where the Pacific winds showed their full fury.
Meanwhile, fellow competitor Scheffler faced similar struggles against the relentless gusts. “They were pretty nasty,” he described the conditions bluntly, as flags whipped violently atop every flagstick. The former world number one watched helplessly as shots that would normally find their target were tossed aside by the maritime gales. “I hung in there on a day where I didn’t have my best stuff,” he added. His experience on the tenth hole became the day’s defining moment, where a well-struck 5-iron shot barely carried 155 yards into the howling wind.
Scottie Scheffler had his odds on a roller coaster during his beach adventure par on the 18th Friday @attproam pic.twitter.com/ty11amqCSG
— Golfbet (@Golfbet) February 1, 2025
The afternoon brought even sterner tests, with sustained winds of 10-15 mph turning one of golf’s most picturesque venues into a battlefield of survival. Players battled shots dancing erratically in growing gusts, while misty showers rolled in from the Pacific. Yet the real concern centers on Sunday’s final round, where similar winds combined with dense cloud cover and a 25% chance of scattered showers threaten to challenge the tournament’s conclusion further. With temperatures forecast to hover between 52°F and 61°F and the memory of last year’s final-round washout still fresh, players face a crucial decision: play aggressively for victory or adopt a more conservative approach to ensure completion. Nevertheless, course officials remain optimistic about finishing on schedule, having implemented additional weather monitoring systems following last year’s cancellation.
While Pebble Beach’s current weather saga captures headlines, it represents just one chapter in a season-long struggle with Mother Nature on the PGA Tour.
Weather woes plague PGA Tour schedule
Indeed, the 2025 PGA Tour season has battled weather challenges from its very first event. The Sentry in Maui kicked off under a Windward West Alert, with gusty winds up to 26 km/h disrupting play. Subsequently, the challenges intensified at the Farmers Insurance Open, where the final round saw temperatures plummet to 15°C alongside punishing winds gusting to 41 km/h, while players contended with an 85% chance of thunderstorms.
This week’s conditions at Pebble Beach continue a troubling pattern for the Tour’s coastal events. Last season’s tournaments faced similar struggles, most notably here at Pebble Beach where the final round suffered a complete washout. Consequently, the Tour’s meteorologists, now present at every event, have become crucial allies in managing these weather-related disruptions, helping officials balance competition integrity with player safety.
Ultimately, these recurring weather challenges force the Tour to confront difficult questions about its future. With three major tournaments already weather-affected in 2025, should the Tour consider restructuring its early-season schedule? As coastal venues face increasingly unpredictable conditions, the ability to adapt traditional tournament dates may prove crucial for golf’s premier events.
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