Sun Feb 02 18:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Scheffler’s Beach Ball Miracle Keeps Him in Pebble Beach Contention
**PEBBLE BEACH, Calif.** — World No. 2 Scottie Scheffler added a dramatic chapter to his AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am performance Friday, recovering from a tee shot that landed in the Pacific Ocean. Facing challenging weather conditions, Scheffler’s drive on the par-5 18th at Pebble Beach found the water, forcing a potentially costly penalty. However, in a stroke of luck and skill, he located his ball on the beach, navigated a rocky descent, and managed to hit it back onto the green, ultimately two-putting for par.
“Saw a ball on the beach, went down there, found my ball, moved some rocks, hit it out, hit it on the green, two-putted,” Scheffler recounted, downplaying the extraordinary feat. His recovery involved a precarious journey down a rock shelf, careful maneuvering around rocks and seaweed to free his ball, and a precise wedge shot to clear the cliff.
Despite trailing by seven shots heading into the weekend, Scheffler’s remarkable par save keeps him within striking distance of the lead. He finished the round with a 2-under 70, attributing the par to more luck than skill. This isn’t the first time Pebble Beach has lived up to its name; Brandt Snedeker famously birdied from the beach in 2019.
Meanwhile, Sepp Straka maintains the lead after two rounds. Despite recovering from minor hand surgery after a Christmas cooking mishap (punctured palm from a wine glass while making ravioli!), Straka’s game showed signs of competitive rust, including a semi-shank on the 11th. However, his impressive shot-making, like the 6-iron that landed two feet from the pin for birdie on the challenging 8th hole, kept him at the top of the leaderboard. Straka acknowledged needing to improve his ball striking but was pleased with his performance, particularly given the minimal bogeys.
First Piper 