UNLV product Kitayama leads at Pebble Beach
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Kurt Kitayama is starting to feel more comfortable each time he gets in contention on the PGA Tour, and the UNLV product can only hope that’s the case going into the weekend at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am.
Kitayama opened with 10 straight pars before getting on track and finished birdie-par on two of the tougher holes at Pebble Beach for a 2-under 70 that gave him a one-shot lead Friday.
Kitayama was at 9-under 134 and led by one over Keith Mitchell, Brandon Wu, Joseph Bramlett and Hank Lebioda.
The way the forecast looks, getting comfortable on the Monterey Peninsula takes on a different meaning.
Kitayama’s last shot at his first PGA Tour win was in the fall in the CJ Cup of South Carolina at Congaree. He was tied for the lead going into the weekend with Jon Rahm, and he was in the final group and one shot behind Rory Mcilroy going to the final round.
He also finished runner-up to Rahm in Mexico last year and to Xander Schauffele in the Scottish Open.
“I think the more you put yourself in that position the more you can get comfortable feeling uncomfortable,” Kitayama said. “It’s definitely good experiences to fall back on and use coming Sunday, hopefully.”
The contenders at Pebble don’t have that kind of star power. Of the leading 10 players, only four have won on the PGA Tour, and Scott Stallings is the only multiple winner.
Starting times for Saturday were moved up one hour because of strong wind, and it doesn’t take much in these parts for it to be a problem.
Seamus Power of Ireland delivered the low round of a day that began with rain before giving way to steady wind and occasionally chilly weather when the shifting clouds kept the sun away. He had a 64 at Monterey Peninsula to get within two of the lead. UNLV product Garrick Higgo (68) was three shots back.