This week, the PGA Tour heads to the stunning San Francisco Coast for the annual AT&T Pebble Beach Pro – Am. PGA pro’s and the biggest celebrities from around the world come together for 4 days of intense competition. The tournament is played over three of America’s most stunning golf courses; Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula Country Club. It is one of the most popular events on tour attracting the biggest players in the game, with the likes of Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose and Jordan Spieth all in the field. Multiple winner Phil Mickelson is also teeing up in Pebble Beach, trying to win his 5th AT& Pro-Am title.
The Celebrities in Action
The biggest names from sport, music and film who all have a passion for the game of golf will be in action as they attempt to take on California’s most challenging golf courses. The likes of Bill Murray, Larry Fitzgerald, NFL legend Peyton Manning, Actors Mark Wahlberg and Ray Romano and Tennis star Andy will all be teeing it up at Pebble. Also can’t forget “Raj” from Big Bang Theory and musical icon Justin Timberlake.
Get to know Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach Golf Links has been around since 1919, when golf course architects Jack Neville and Douglas Grant set out to design a golf course that would be perched on the cliff tops overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Each hole is unique in its own way but the 6th is not only the signature hole, but one of the most iconic holes in golf with its dramatic fairway right on the cliff top edge.
Pebble Beach is also no stranger to prestigious championships having played host to countless majors including the US Open in 1972, 1982, 1992, 2000, 2010 and in 2019, the US Open will return to the San Francisco Coast.
Get to know Spyglass Hill
Spyglass Hill, another course that is nothing short of stunning, with its dramatic pacific ocean views and beautiful natural beauty. The course was first opened in 1966 by renowned golf course architect Robert Trent Jones, he created a golfing gem amongst the stunning dunes of the Monterey shoreline and the idyllic Del Monte Forest.
The course is ranked amongst the best in the world and this week you will see the course in all its fine glory as it co – hosts the AT&T Pro-Am. As well as this week’s tournament, Spyglass Hill has been the venue for the US Amateur in 1999 and the California State Amateur Championship on multiple years.
Get to know Monterey Peninsula Shore Course
The third and final course that makes up the AT&T Pro -Am is the Monterey Peninsula Shore Course. It was designed by golf course architect Robert Baldock and was redesigned in 2003 by Mike Strantz to offer more holes with spectacular pacific ocean views. The course is in America’s top 100 by Golf Digest and you see it at it’s best this week when the pro’s take it on in the AT&T Pro-Am.
The Tournament
The tournament format is an unusual one in that the 72 hole competition is hosted on 3 different formats. The field consists 156 tour professionals and 156 amateurs who are paired together. On the first 3 days they will be play each of the following 3 courses: Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course and Monterey Peninsula Country Club. After 54 holes there is a cut mark, those pros and amateurs who make the cut play the final 18 holes on Pebble Beach. Only the professionals compete in the individual competitions whilst the amateurs are restricted to the pro-am competition.
Who the YGT “PUNDITS” think will come out on top in Pebble Beach this week
Nick Goldie – Justin Rose (14/1)
The Olympic champion is one of my favourite golfers to watch and his ball striking is one of the best on the PGA Tour, so I’ll definite be rooting for Rose this week. He was unlucky not to win at the Farmers Insurance Open a couple weeks ago after fading away from a 1st Round -7 to then shooting -2 overall for the next 3 rounds which was still good enough to finish tied for 4th overall. He showed his games there in stages though and so after not playing at Sawgrass last week and instead of practicing his putting (hopefully), I expect Rose to be challenging high up on the leaderboard once again as all he needs is to putt well and he’ll win.
Rory Anderson – Brandt Snedeker (20/1)
Dustin Johnson is usually my go to man on the PGA Tour and with a pair of wins already at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he’s a tempting proposition again this week. Dustin also came close at Pebble during the 2010 US Open where, after holding a 3 shot lead through 54 holes, he probably should’ve won but fired a closing round of 82 instead. Despite DJ’s record at Pebble though, I’m going to stick with Brandt Snedeker, who I backed a couple of weeks back at Torrey Pines. That week Sneds lead after 54 holes and eventually finished in a tie for 9th, which was a continuation of some really solid form towards the back end of 2016, and with 2 previous wins at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, as well as the tournament record (-22!), I’m hoping he can finish the job for me this week.
Oliver Gunning – Brandt Snedeker (20/1)
Snedeker is a fan of the AT&T at Pebble Beach having claimed the title in 2015, with a record score of -22, and 2013. He’s also already shown form this season where his final round of 73 at The Farmers Insurance Open saw him drift away into a tie for 9th having been very much in the challenge through 54 holes. As one of the most solid ball strikers on The PGA Tour, consistently ranking in fairways hit and greens in regulation, Snedeker surely can’t be too far away come Sunday on a set of Californian layouts that he’s already tasted success on.
Nick Martin – Andrew BEEF Johnston (200/1)
I’m probably the biggest fan of the BEEF in the YGT office and I even got to meet him at the 2016 British Masters at the Grove. His whole persona, his positive attitude and his big smile have caught the eyes of many in the sporting world, particularly in America where he has become a household name for golfing fanatics. This week, he heads to Pebble Beach, it will be the first time playing in the AT&T Pro – Am, but I think that with the loud support of the Californian fans, he is going to do a great job. Don’t be surprised if you see “BEEEFFFF” at the top of the leaderboard come Sunday afternoon.
