Maverick McNealy hits 98-yard tee shot to 5 feet, birdies No. 7 at AT&T Pebble Beach
Maverick McNealy produced one of the day's most eye-catching shots at Pebble Beach on Saturday (ET), drilling a 98-yard tee shot to within 5 feet on the par-3 No. 7 and converting the birdie. The highlight came during a red-hot round that vaulted him into the top 10 as the field jockeys for position at the AT& T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
The shot: tiny yardage, huge result
The 98-yard tee shot on No. 7 was a study in precision. With the gallery hushed and the wind a factor on the Monterey Peninsula, McNealy selected a delicate approach that hugged the putting surface and left him a short, makeable birdie putt. He stroked it in to claim the birdie and feed momentum for the back nine.
Pebble Beach's short par-3s often produce drama, and Saturday offered a pair of near-magic moments: McNealy's wedge to 5 feet for birdie and another competitor who nearly aced the hole after a 98-yard tee shot came to rest about 4 feet from the cup. McNealy's execution under pressure underscored his comfort on this layout; the former Stanford standout has deep ties to the course and a history of strong showings on the Monterey Peninsula.
Birdie barrage lifts McNealy into contention
McNealy's day was far more than a single highlight. He fired a 9-under 63 on Saturday to move into a tie for seventh at 14-under, five shots back of the leader. The card included an astounding 10 birdies, with a streak of four consecutive birdies beginning on No. 1 — the 10th hole of his round — and just one blemish, a bogey at the fifth.
Playing in the third group and starting on the back nine, McNealy put together one of the lowest rounds of the day. The performance reaffirmed his familiarity with Pebble Beach; he grew up around the course, with family connections that gave him extra time to learn the subtle slopes and seaside wind patterns. That intimate knowledge has translated into multiple strong finishes here in past years, including a runner-up result in 2021 and a top-five tie in 2020.
McNealy's lone PGA Tour victory came at the 2024 RSM Classic, and Saturday's form suggested he remains a live contender when he finds the short game and irons clicking. The 63 was the kind of round that can shift momentum heading into the final day, where small margins and course knowledge often decide the outcome.
Implications for the final round
McNealy's surge gives him a platform for Sunday. He sits among a cluster of players within striking distance of the lead and will rely on his comfort at Pebble Beach — both from experience and his recent run of iron play — to chase down the front-runners. Expect his game plan to emphasize hitting greens and relying on a hot putter, the combination that yielded double-digit birdies on Saturday.
While the leaderboard features veterans and recent champions, McNealy's weekend is a reminder that familiarity with a venue can pay dividends. If he reproduces the crisp iron play and calm putting that produced the 98-yard masterpiece on No. 7, he will be well positioned to mount a late charge in the final round.
Play resumes Sunday with the usual mix of tide, wind and coastal scenery that make Pebble Beach one of the season's most atmospheric tests. For McNealy, the course is no stranger — and Saturday showed why that history matters when a delicate wedge to 5 feet can turn into a momentum-changing birdie.
