Career-best birdie streak puts Hoge in pole position at Pebble Beach

Nine birdies including a stunning front-nine sequence sent Tom Hoge to the top of the leaderboard at the end of the first round of AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

World number 68 Hoge has never won on the PGA Tour but was looking down on the rest of the competition after Thursday's play.

The American produced a flawless round, meaning he could not be caught after a streak of six straight birdies from the third to the eighth.

That stretch represents the best of Hoge's career to date and added to his three on the back nine, having started from the 10th, to card a nine-under 63 and secure a one-shot lead.

Make it six! https://t.co/2SIU4k4emq pic.twitter.com/tYf5JYTzY6
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 3, 2022

Seamus Power, at eight under, is his nearest challenger for now, with the Irishman also going bogey free through 18 holes in California.

Power finished with four consecutive birdies, while Austin Eckroat had caught the eye earlier in the day as he started with five in a row, then added a sixth in seven holes.

Eckroat's sensational form slowed considerably thereafter and he finished four off the pace.

Jordan Spieth showed signs of recovery after a poor showing at the Farmers Insurance Open saw him miss the cut, maintaining an interest at three under.

At the bottom of the leaderboard, 67-year-old Peter Jacobsen is playing Pebble Beach competitively for the final time but will surely be a spectator by the weekend, having started with a nine-over 81.