A fast-paced Moving Day was put to a screeching halt at the 2023 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am as strong winds delayed the completion of Round 3. Forcing competitors off the golf course, players were unable to finish their third rounds. With many still needing to finish roughly nine holes, a marathon Sunday followed by a Monday finish will be in store on the shores of California.
As it stands, Peter Malnati sits atop the leaderboard at 12 under and in command of a two-stroke lead. Malnati entered the weekend at 6 under, but three birdies in his first four holes and three more around the turn at Pebble Beach saw his name leapfrog all other players.
Still needing to complete six holes in his third round – on the front nine at Pebble Beach – Malnati will attempt to add distance between himself and the rest of the field early on Sunday as play is set to resume at 11 a.m. ET.
Hoping to catch Malnati are many in the chasing pack including Keith Mitchell and Joseph Bramlett at 10 under. Overnight leader Kurt Kitayama stands just on further back at 9 under and world No. 11 Viktor Hovland one worse at 8 under.
A winner at Pebble Beach in the 2018 U.S. Amateur and setting the amateur scoring record at the 2019 U.S. Open, Hovland brought this comfort level to the course on Saturday. Playing his first three holes in 3 under, Hovland has jumped into contention as he looks for his second win in his last three worldwide starts.
The leader
1. Peter Malnati (-12)
Malnati appeared to have found something in his game last week at the Farmers Insurance Open. Claiming a top-20 finish, this effort put an end to a skid that included four straight missed cuts dating back to 2022. He is not necessarily the longest hitter in the world, but when Malnati catches fire with the putter he tends to pop up on the leaderboard as he has done thus far.
Other contenders
T2. Keith Mitchell, Joseph Bramlett (-10)
T4. Kurt Kitayama, Hank Lebioda (-9)
T6. Beau Hossler, brandon Wu, Andrew Novak, Viktor Hovland (-8)
This is an eclectic list of contenders with the exception of one name, Hovland. With a history of his own at Pebble Beach, the world No. 11 looked right at home early on Saturday before running into a hair of trouble. Still, given his ability to drive the golf ball and the pedigree he possesses compared to his peers, I would be shocked if the Norwegian doesn't at least have a chance to win on yet another resort-style golf course come the final nine holes.
No amateurs for the final round
The Pro-Am portion of the event will be cut short due to the weather delay as the PGA Tour races to complete this tournament. As such, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Silverman are in the driver's seat as they currently hold the lead. The Green Bay Packers quarterback had previously teamed up with Max Homa, but with Homa being "too big time" for Rodgers, he has not only found a new teammate but potentially also a trophy.
Weather causes Monday finish
Sunday at Pebble Beach will continue to be brutal as the forecast calls for 20 mph winds and rain showers. Once competitors are able to overcome those, Monday will be a breeze as sunshine is expected for the completion of the tournament. Unfortunately for the likes of Jordan Spieth, Hovland, Mitchell and others, this delay will also mean less prep time for the Phoenix Open. Labeled as the first full-field designated event of the new PGA Tour playing calendar, anticipation has been building towards the Greenest Show on Grass for quite some time given the field strength and elevated prize fund.
2023 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am updated odds and picks
- Keith Mitchell: 33/10
- Peter Malnati: 4-1
- Viktor Hovland: 5-1
- Joseph Bramlett: 13/2
- Kurt Kitayama: 8-1
- Beau Hossler: 16-1
- Justin Rose: 20-1
Hovland should ultimately find a way to seal the deal at Pebble Beach. He will be given the luxury of finishing his third round on the course so there will be no need to assimilate to green speeds and conditions like some of his competitors playing at Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula on Sunday. While it was an extremely small sample, Hovland ranked eighth in strokes gained tee to green and ninth in strokes gained approach through his first nine holes in Round 3. If he continues to strike the ball in such a manner, 5-1 may turn out to be a steal.
