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<h2>Rory McIlroy Faces Challenges at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am</h2>
<p><strong>PEBBLE BEACH, Calif.</strong> – Defending champion Rory McIlroy is in contention at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, yet he expressed disappointment over what he feels has been a "somewhat wasteful" beginning to the tournament.</p>
<p>McIlroy started with rounds of 68 and 67, scoring the first at Spyglass Hill and the second at Pebble Beach. Currently, he stands at 9 under but trails leader Akshay Bhatia by six strokes in a tournament characterized by impressively low scores. He believes he could be closer to the top under different circumstances.</p>
<p>"I began strong again but slowed down on the back nine," McIlroy noted. "I feel I've been slightly wasteful over the past two days and haven't capitalized on my good starts."</p>
<p>McIlroy’s errors were particularly evident on Thursday, where he performed well aside from two easily avoidable three-putts leading to double bogeys. Despite these setbacks, he shot 4-under and surged up the leaderboard early Friday, thanks to an eagle on the par-5 second and birdies on the fourth and seventh holes. However, mistakes at the 10th and 14th holes hindered his progress, overshadowing the three birdies he scored on the front nine.</p>
<p>Particularly troublesome was the par-5 14th: after reaching near the green in two shots, he mishandled a chip near a tree and ended up in the bunker, failing to save par from there. Although he missed opportunities for birdies at 16 and 17, he closed with a birdie on 18.</p>
<p>"Scoring has been low, and the conditions are soft. I'm hoping to start strong again tomorrow, pick up some early shots, and get back into the mix," McIlroy expressed.</p>
<p>Overall, the initial rounds highlighted the rust that players must shake off after the offseason. McIlroy has already competed on the DP World Tour but is making his first TOUR appearance of the season this week. His three-putts on Thursday were uncharacteristic, as he's lost over two strokes on the greens through two rounds. "The game feels good—better than it did in Dubai a couple of weeks ago," he remarked, indicating his aim to build on that momentum.</p>
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