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AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Wyndham Clark makes record charge to lead

James Raia, Monterey Daily Herald on

Published in Golf

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — The new era of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am became historic Saturday but not because the tournament was cut in half, played without a cut or is offering a $20 million purse.

Instead, Wyndham Clark made the history, shooting a 12-under-par 60 at Pebble Beach Golf Links, the lowest score ever posted on the course, in the first full-field Signature Event of the 2024 PGA Tour season.

Clark, the 2023 U.S. Open titlist who trailed three co-leaders after 36 holes, has a one-shot lead over Ludvig Aberg of Sweden and a two-shot margin over Frenchman Matthieu Pavon at 17-under-par 199.

After a birdie putt on the 17th hole stopped an inch short, Clark birdied the 18th for his 60 after a 26-foot eagle putt stopped short and to the right of the hole.

“It was honestly surreal,” said Clark, who won twice on the PGA Tour last season and is ranked 10th in the world. “To have a chance to shoot 59 with that putt, it was pretty special."

Clark’s round included two eagles, nine birdies and one bogey. He eclipsed the previous tournament record shared by Tom Kite, David Duval, Patrick Cantlay and Matthias Schwab. The tournament leader’s score bested the previous overall competitive course record of 61 set by Texas Tech’s Hurly Long at the Carmel Cup, a collegiate event, in 2017. Only 12 rounds under 60 have been recorded on the PGA Tour.

 

“I started feeling the nerves kind of on 10 and, you know, then making that bogey on 12, making that putt was huge,” Clark said. “But in my mind, I think in the past I would have kind of coasted in and shot a nice 8, 9 under.

“To keep the pedal down and to stay aggressive mentally was the most impressive thing to me. And then obviously making all those putts was, you know, out of the ordinary, it was pretty awesome.”

Aberg, among three leaders after 36 holes at 11, carded five birdies and no bogeys.

“I didn’t try to force anything,” Aber said. “I didn’t try to hit shots that I didn’t feel like I could pull off. I felt like we did that great today and yesterday. And hopefully, what the weather looks like, I think that’s going to be key as well for the last round. So we’ll see how that plays out, but hopefully, we’ll play some good golf again.”

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