Hypnotherapy sessions help guide Cam Davis’ brilliant Pebble Beach opening after two hole-in-ones from Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry

Two Irish stars both made a hole-in-one in amazing scenes at Pebble Beach but are chasing an Aussie gun armed with a special weapon.

Australian gun Cam Davis has spent plenty of the past year “unpacking” issues with a hypnotherapist not just to improve his golf but his life, and the dividends were evident after he blitzed the opening round of the $30m Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Irish stars Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry both made a hole-in-one, Lowry’s coming at the famous seventh hole, but both still trailed Davis, who was joint clubhouse leader at seven-under before Russell Henley got in at eight-under to hold the outright lead.

A two-time winner on the PGA Tour, Davis, now ranked 52 in the world, carded six birdies and an eagle and only a late bogey in his seven-under 65 cost him the outright lead over the elite field at the first Signature Event of 2025, having moved on from the “mark” left by his $500,000 loss in Hawaii for hitting the wrong ball two weeks ago.

SHANE LOWRY ACES THE ICONIC 7TH AT PEBBLE BEACH!! pic.twitter.com/OyKhdmHYnw

— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) January 30, 2025

119 yards ➡️ IN!

For the second time in his career, @McIlroyRory has an ace on the PGA TOUR! pic.twitter.com/XywFx6oSek

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 30, 2025

Leading into the tournament, the 2017 Australian Open champ went into detail on his hypnotherapy sessions that helped him uncover the “blockages” that were inhibiting his success on and off the course.

“You set a goal … then it’s a guided meditation,” he said.

“It’s with someone who walks you through it, they’ll ask you questions to get in a relaxed state, it helps you because the conscious mind can try to change that answer, sometimes you’ll give better information and make better realisations for yourself in that state.

Solo leader 👏

Cam Davis cards an eagle to take the lead @ATTProAm.

📺 Golf Channel pic.twitter.com/kY9eRPw0jI

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 30, 2025

“I’ve found out things I either didn’t want to know or didn’t realise were causing blockages for me to improve not just my golf but how happy I am in life.

“It’s still unpacking stuff. We started the middle of last year, but it’s been great. I feel like it’s been really beneficial.”

McIlroy nailed his ace on the par three 15th, with a new club, before a birdie on his final hole got him to six-under and a shot behind Davis. Lowry also finished at six-under.

“Honestly, it was lucky, I don’t see many balls nowadays go straight in the hole and stay in the hole,” McIlroy said.

Among the other Australians Min Woo Lee is at four-under, and jason Day two-under. But Adam Scott had a horror, with five bogeys in his two-over 74 and he’s tied fro 77th in the 80 man field.

Davis said he felt like he was “only getting started” on his new golfing journey, with a trip to the Masters in April already on his calendar thanks to his victory at last year’s Rocket Mortgage Classic.

“I feel like it is going to take as long or as short as the effort you put into it. It’s not a one and done for sure,” he said.

“I’m still finding out new things about myself and how I work and that has come through spending more and more time working on this sort of thing. It feels like I am just getting started, even though I’ve been doing it for quite a while.

“I’m still working on how to not just improve golf but improve me in general. It’s been an interesting process, but it’s been fun.”