Pebble Beach (US), February 12 Indian-American golfers Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala have a lot to prove and gain this week as they prepare for the first USD 20 million Signature event of 2026 at AT&T Pebble Beach here.
Bhatia arrives for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with a strong showing, tying for third at the WM Phoenix Open last week. He could be a dark horse in the windy coastal conditions, which suit his shot shaping and creativity, especially if the weather becomes challenging over the weekend.
There is no cut this week, so players can compete in all four days, which could also lead to exciting play.
Bhatia had a very good four-round performance at Phoenix Open, and even though his record at Pebble Beach is modest (T-22 in 2025), he could still perform well.
Theegala experienced disappointment finishing sixth, just outside the Aon Swing 5 rankings, which would have guaranteed him spots at Pebble Beach and Genesis. However, on the same day, he received a sponsor's exemption for Pebble Beach.
A good finish for Theegala, whose best here is T-20 in 2024, will be beneficial for this season, where he has had two Top-10s and two other Top-20 finishes in the last four events. He finished 53rd last year at Pebble Beach.
Aaron Rai also returns after a T-40 in 2025, with the goal of climbing higher on the leaderboard. His only PGA Tour start in 2026 was the Sony Open, where he finished 50th.
The 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is officially the first Signature Event of the PGA Tour season, featuring an elite 80-player field competing for a USD 20 million prize and 700 FedEx Cup points, with no cut.
The defending champion, Rory McIlroy, and World No. 1, Scottie Scheffler, are among the top stars at one of golf's most beautiful courses.
McIlroy shot a stunning 21-under to win last year, and this is his debut for the 2026 PGA Tour season.
Scheffler arrives fresh off a victory at The American Express and a near-miss in Phoenix. His ball-striking and consistency have made him a leading contender, even though he has not yet won at Pebble Beach.
Other top contenders include Si Woo Kim, veterans Justin Rose and Jason Day, and the rising star Chris Gotterup, who won the Sony Open and WM Phoenix Open early in the season. The young American is currently ranked fifth in the Official World Golf Ranking.
