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Dale Anderson has many wonderful memories from playing in six consecutive pro-ams at the John Deere Classic, but one stands out: the time he, a 16 index, outdrove Geoff Ogilvy, the 2006 U.S. Open champ, on a par 5. 

“I hit my best drive of the day,” recalls Anderson, COO of Miller Pipeline, based outside Philadelphia. “My ball ended up four feet in front of his. When I said, ‘Hey, you’re away,’ he laughed. Of course, Ogilvy teed off 150 yards farther back from me.” 

Pro-ams on the men’s and women’s tours are opportunities for sponsors and their guests to play with the world’s best golfers. It’s often a round these amateurs will never forget — and it doesn’t come cheap. But these events raise millions for the tournament’s charity partners, or, in some cases, they help finance the tournament itself. “It’s the single largest revenue line for the majority of events,” says Nathan Grube, tournament director of The Travelers Championship. 

Covid curtailed pro-ams in 2020, at a big cost to tournaments and their beneficiaries. But with pandemic restrictions easing in many markets, pro-ams are making a comeback. They’re going to look a bit different for a while, but that may turn out to be a better experience for amateur players and the pros. 

Take the LPGA’s CME Group Tour Championship, in Naples, Fla. The Sunshine State allowed the event to go forward in December 2020, and its organizers were determined to keep players safe. Still, at $20,000 per foursome, it couldn’t cut too many corners. A virtual draw party — where you find out who you’re paired with — wasn’t ideal but a must. Social distancing for tee-box photos was understandable. And the customary swag giveaway was also handled virtually. But one change made out of precaution was such a plus that it’ll stick in November 2021, when the next CME is played. “We had amateurs ride in carts rather than walk,” says Lindsay Allen, tournament director of the CME as well as the Kia Classic. “It promoted social distancing but also turned out to be a better experience for them, since it speeds up the round.” (Having four and a half hours with your pro is fantastic. Six hours, maybe less so.) 

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What has stayed constant is the cost — an estimated $31,000 per foursome on the PGA Tour, and between $12,000 and $16,000 on the LPGA Tour. The granddaddy of these events is the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. It commands $25,000 per person, but you need to secure an invite for the right to pay that amount. This year, no one requested a refund despite the cancellation of the pro-am portion of the event. Why? No one wants to be dropped from a very exclusive list. 

Most pro-ams charge by the foursome. The Travelers gets $19,000 per foursome for the Monday pro-am but $27,000 per threesome for the traditional Wednesday event, when all the pros are there. At the John Deere, among the top donors to local charities year after year, costs run $12,000 per foursome on Monday or Saturday and $20,000 for the Wednesday grouping. At the BMW Charity Pro-Am Presented by Synnex Corporation — the Korn Ferry Tour’s version of the AT&T — practice rounds at the South Carolina stop, plus two tournament rounds with a Korn Ferry pro, costs $6,500 per player. 

Brian Baumgartner, who played Kevin Malone on The Office, has partnered in the BMW event with Max Homa and Harry Higgs. “I played three rounds with Harry Higgs,” Baumgartner recalls, “and all I kept saying was ‘This guy is not on the Tour?!’ ” The next year, Higgs was. 

Of all the pro-ams, the Champions Tour outings might offer the best player access. This September, the Ascension Charity Classic, a new event in St. Louis, will have four waves of pro-am play over two days. A foursome in any of them will cost $15,000. To kick off the tournament, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson will be honored at a Legends Lunch. 

“The PGA Tour Champions gets that their business model revolves around access to the players,” says Nick Ragone, executive vice president of Ascension. “They want to create as much engagement as possible, and for the amateurs in the community that’s the big thrill.” 

Ragone says the event may add another pro-am to meet demand. That will mean more donations to three north St. Louis charities that serve women and children in need. 

For golfers in Detroit, the pandemic unexpectedly became a way to increase pro-am opportunities at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. The tournament, in only its third year, routinely sells out pro-am spots at $10,000 per player. But last year’s event, staged in July, had no fans and no pro-am. So organizers pivoted to a “fall classic” in September, where, for $3,000 per person, 144 amateur golfers entered to play a more traditional charity event. Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler and Bryson DeChambeau (Rocket Mortgage’s 2020 winner) returned to Detroit to compete in a casual scramble with each group. 

“Covid made us get innovative and creative,” says Jason Langwell, the tournament’s executive director. “We never would have been pushed to create a new event otherwise.” 

Dale Anderson, who is returning for his seventh pro-am at the John Deere in July, says the invite never gets old. “It’s going to be a little different this time,” he says. “We’re just excited to get the opportunity to play in it. We don’t count on the invite, but we’re happy when we do get it.” 

That, like the ad says, is priceless.

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The stars of the PGA Tour will join the stars of the silver screen this week for the 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. You can find full first round tee times at the bottom of this post.

Notable groupings for AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Round 1

At last year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, it looked as though then-49-year-old Phil Mickelson might win his second Pebble Pro-Am title in a row, and his sixth-career victory at the event. Alas, a few bad holes on Sunday ended Phil’s chances and he finished third. Mickelson, now 50 and a winner on the Champions Tour, still hasn’t revisited the winner’s circle since he did at Pebble in 2019.

Lifestyle

Mickelson will try to avenge last year’s loss beginning on Thursday. He’ll start the tournament at Spyglass Hill, teeing off at 12:03 p.m. ET alongside two other PGA Tour winners, Max Homa and Paul Casey. Phil will share the star billing on Thursday with Jordan Spieth, the fan favorite who nearly ended a years-long win drought last week at the Phoenix Open. Spieth tees off for the first round at Pebble Beach at 1:09 p.m. ET with Rickie Fowler and defending champion Nick Taylor.

Other notable groupings for the opening round include Si Woo Kim, Patrick Cantlay and Jason Day (1:20 p.m. ET); Stewart Cink, Francesco Molinari and Brandt Snedeker (12:14 p.m. ET); Jim Furyk, Daniel Berger and Ryan Armour (1:20 p.m. ET); and Harry Higgs, Shawn Stefani and Alex Noren (11:52 a.m. ET).

Check out the full first round tee times for the 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am below.

2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Round 1 tee times (All times ET)

Pebble Beach Tee No. 1

11:30 a.m. – Rory Sabbatini, Cameron Tringale, Josh Teater
11:41 a.m. – Scott Brown, Joel Dahmen, Cameron Percy
11:52 a.m. – Jim Herman, Keith Mitchell, Russell Knox
12:03 p.m. – Nate Lashley, J.B. Holmes, Austin Cook
12:14 p.m. – Hunter Mahan, Ricky Barnes, Tom Hoge
12:25 p.m. – Chesson Hadley, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Tyler McCumber
12:36 p.m. – Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Jim Knous, Andy Ogletree
12:47 p.m. – Sangmoon Bae, Jonathan Byrd, Henrik Norlander
12:58 p.m. – Brian Stuard, Kelly Kraft, Maverick McNealy
1:09 p.m. – Nick Taylor, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth
1:20 p.m. – Si Woo Kim, Patrick Cantlay, Jason Day
1:31 p.m. – Kyle Stanley, Tom Lewis, Will Zalatoris
1:42 p.m. – Matt Gogel, Mark Anderson, Kevin Hall

Pebble Beach Tee No. 10

11:30 a.m. – Brian Harman, Matt Jones, John Senden
11:41 a.m. – David Duval, Mark Hubbard, Doug Ghim
11:52 a.m. – C.T. Pan, Grayson Murray, Kevin Stadler
12:03 p.m. – Michael Thompson, Tyler Duncan, D.A. Points
12:14 p.m. – Jhonattan Vegas, Roberto Castro, Beau Hossler
12:25 p.m. – Zack Sucher, Joseph Bramlett, Vincent Whaley
12:36 p.m. – Dominic Bozzelli, Michael Gligic, Akshay Bhatia
12:47 p.m. – Nick Watney, Harold Varner III, Bo Hoag
12:58 p.m. – Vaughn Taylor, Tim Wilkinson, Sam Ryder
1:09 p.m. – Michael Kim, Patton Kizzire, William McGirt
1:20 p.m. – Brice Garnett, Pat Perez, Jason Dufner
1:31 p.m. – Ryan Moore, Bill Haas, Seung-Yul Noh
1:42 p.m. – Brandon Hagy, Rhein Gibson, Min Woo Lee

Spyglass Hill Tee No. 1

11:30 a.m. – James Hahn, Charley Hoffman, Bo Van Pelt
11:41 a.m. – Ben Martin, Tom Lehman, J.J. Spaun
11:52 a.m. – Chez Reavie, Sung Kang, Jimmy Walker
12:03 p.m. – Scott Piercy, Ted Potter, Jr., Kevin Chappell
12:14 p.m. – Branden Grace, Patrick Rodgers, Cameron Davis
12:25 p.m. – Hank Lebioda, Rafael Campos, Chris Baker
12:36 p.m. – Ryan Brehm, Sebastian Cappelen, Ben Taylor
12:47 p.m. – Sean O’Hair, Denny McCarthy, Will Gordon
12:58 p.m. – Aaron Baddeley, K.J. Choi, Seamus Power
1:09 p.m. – Brian Gay, Martin Trainer, Luke Donald
1:20 p.m. – Daniel Berger, Ryan Armour, Jim Furyk
1:31 p.m. – Rod Pampling, D.J. Trahan, Kramer Hickok
1:42 p.m. – Chase Seiffert, Michael Gellerman, Kenny Pigman

Spyglass Hill Tee No. 10

11:30 a.m. – Bronson Burgoon, Adam Schenk, Matthew NeSmith
11:41 a.m. – Chris Kirk, Johnson Wagner, David Hearn
11:52 a.m. – Shawn Stefani, Alex Noren, Harry Higgs
12:03 p.m. – Max Homa, Paul Casey, Phil Mickelson
12:14 p.m. – Stewart Cink, Francesco Molinari, Brandt Snedeker
12:25 p.m. – Peter Malnati, Scott Harrington, Kristoffer Ventura
12:36 p.m. – Roger Sloan, Nelson Ledesma, Kamaiu Johnson
12:47 p.m. – Peter Uihlein, Sam Burns, Ryan Blaum
12:58 p.m. – Matt Every, Kevin Streelman, Scott Stallings
1:09 p.m. – Andrew Putnam, Troy Merritt, Brendan Steele
1:20 p.m. – Andrew Landry, Adam Long, Satoshi Kodaira
1:31 p.m. – Fabián Gómez, John Daly, Xinjun Zhang
1:42 p.m. – Wes Roach, Rob Oppenheim, Davis Riley

How to bet on the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am — risk-free!

Chirp is a new golf-gaming platform that allows users to place live bets using fake money to win amazing, real-life prizes. The app, which is owned by GOLF.com’s parent company, 8AM Golf, is designed to inject the adrenaline of live gambling into a fun, risk-free contest. For more on Chirp, click here.

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The post 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: How to watch Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson at Pebble this week appeared first on Golf.

The post 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: How to watch Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson at Pebble this week appeared first on Golf.

This week the PGA Tour takes over famed Pebble Beach Golf Links for the 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the tournament.

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Preview

If you’re a Jordan Spieth fan, you’re feeling good about your man for the first time in a while right now. Spieth hasn’t won a tournament since the 2017 Open Championship, but he nearly ended that unfortunate streak at last week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open. Spieth flashed the game that won him three majors, eventually finishing T4. Now he has another chance to end the drought at historic Pebble Beach.

Lifestyle

This year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am will be played across two courses: Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill, with players alternating between the two over on Thursday and Friday. Spieth tees off for the opening round on Pebble Beach’s 1st hole at 1:09 p.m. ET on Thursday. He’ll play the first and second rounds alongside Rickie Fowler and defending champion Nick Taylor.

You can find complete information about streaming the 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am online or watching the action on TV below, as well as complete first round tee times.

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Basics

What: 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Where: Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course, Pebble Beach, Calif.
When: Thursday-Sunday, February 11-14
Purse: $7.38 million ($1.404 million winner’s share)
Last year’s champion: Nick Taylor

How to watch the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on TV

With a cable subscription, you can watch the 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Golf Channel and NBC. Golf Channel will air three hours of coverage each day Thursday-Friday, with two hours of early coverage on Saturday and Sunday. CBS takes over the primary broadcast for the weekend’s third and final rounds. Check out the full TV schedule below.

Thursday, Feb. 11: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Friday, Feb. 12: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Saturday, Feb. 13: 1-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 3-6 p.m. ET (CBS)
Sunday, Feb. 14: 1-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 3-6:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

How to watch the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am online, streaming

You can stream the 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am online in various ways. You can watch the Golf Channel coverage at golfchannel.com/watch and the CBS broadcasts at cbs.com/all/access by logging in with your cable credentials. Another way to catch the action is with PGA Tour Live, which also includes featured group coverage, though you’ll need a subscription to access the stream.

In addition, fans can watch featured hole coverage on Saturday and Sunday via ESPN+.

Sign up for ESPN+ today to watch featured hole coverage from 23 PGA Tour events in 2021

How to bet on the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am — risk-free!

Chirp is a new golf-gaming platform that allows users to place live bets using fake money to win amazing, real-life prizes. The app, which is owned by GOLF.com’s parent company, 8AM Golf, is designed to inject the adrenaline of live gambling into a fun, risk-free contest. For more on Chirp, click here.

2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am tee times: Round 1 (ET)

Pebble Beach Tee No. 1

11:30 a.m. – Rory Sabbatini, Cameron Tringale, Josh Teater
11:41 a.m. – Scott Brown, Joel Dahmen, Cameron Percy
11:52 a.m. – Jim Herman, Keith Mitchell, Russell Knox
12:03 p.m. – Nate Lashley, J.B. Holmes, Austin Cook
12:14 p.m. – Hunter Mahan, Ricky Barnes, Tom Hoge
12:25 p.m. – Chesson Hadley, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Tyler McCumber
12:36 p.m. – Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Jim Knous, Andy Ogletree
12:47 p.m. – Sangmoon Bae, Jonathan Byrd, Henrik Norlander
12:58 p.m. – Brian Stuard, Kelly Kraft, Maverick McNealy
1:09 p.m. – Nick Taylor, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth
1:20 p.m. – Si Woo Kim, Patrick Cantlay, Jason Day
1:31 p.m. – Kyle Stanley, Tom Lewis, Will Zalatoris
1:42 p.m. – Matt Gogel, Mark Anderson, Kevin Hall

Pebble Beach Tee No. 10

11:30 a.m. – Brian Harman, Matt Jones, John Senden
11:41 a.m. – David Duval, Mark Hubbard, Doug Ghim
11:52 a.m. – C.T. Pan, Grayson Murray, Kevin Stadler
12:03 p.m. – Michael Thompson, Tyler Duncan, D.A. Points
12:14 p.m. – Jhonattan Vegas, Roberto Castro, Beau Hossler
12:25 p.m. – Zack Sucher, Joseph Bramlett, Vincent Whaley
12:36 p.m. – Dominic Bozzelli, Michael Gligic, Akshay Bhatia
12:47 p.m. – Nick Watney, Harold Varner III, Bo Hoag
12:58 p.m. – Vaughn Taylor, Tim Wilkinson, Sam Ryder
1:09 p.m. – Michael Kim, Patton Kizzire, William McGirt
1:20 p.m. – Brice Garnett, Pat Perez, Jason Dufner
1:31 p.m. – Ryan Moore, Bill Haas, Seung-Yul Noh
1:42 p.m. – Brandon Hagy, Rhein Gibson, Min Woo Lee

Spyglass Hill Tee No. 1

11:30 a.m. – James Hahn, Charley Hoffman, Bo Van Pelt
11:41 a.m. – Ben Martin, Tom Lehman, J.J. Spaun
11:52 a.m. – Chez Reavie, Sung Kang, Jimmy Walker
12:03 p.m. – Scott Piercy, Ted Potter, Jr., Kevin Chappell
12:14 p.m. – Branden Grace, Patrick Rodgers, Cameron Davis
12:25 p.m. – Hank Lebioda, Rafael Campos, Chris Baker
12:36 p.m. – Ryan Brehm, Sebastian Cappelen, Ben Taylor
12:47 p.m. – Sean O’Hair, Denny McCarthy, Will Gordon
12:58 p.m. – Aaron Baddeley, K.J. Choi, Seamus Power
1:09 p.m. – Brian Gay, Martin Trainer, Luke Donald
1:20 p.m. – Daniel Berger, Ryan Armour, Jim Furyk
1:31 p.m. – Rod Pampling, D.J. Trahan, Kramer Hickok
1:42 p.m. – Chase Seiffert, Michael Gellerman, Kenny Pigman

Spyglass Hill Tee No. 10

11:30 a.m. – Bronson Burgoon, Adam Schenk, Matthew NeSmith
11:41 a.m. – Chris Kirk, Johnson Wagner, David Hearn
11:52 a.m. – Shawn Stefani, Alex Noren, Harry Higgs
12:03 p.m. – Max Homa, Paul Casey, Phil Mickelson
12:14 p.m. – Stewart Cink, Francesco Molinari, Brandt Snedeker
12:25 p.m. – Peter Malnati, Scott Harrington, Kristoffer Ventura
12:36 p.m. – Roger Sloan, Nelson Ledesma, Kamaiu Johnson
12:47 p.m. – Peter Uihlein, Sam Burns, Ryan Blaum
12:58 p.m. – Matt Every, Kevin Streelman, Scott Stallings
1:09 p.m. – Andrew Putnam, Troy Merritt, Brendan Steele
1:20 p.m. – Andrew Landry, Adam Long, Satoshi Kodaira
1:31 p.m. – Fabián Gómez, John Daly, Xinjun Zhang
1:42 p.m. – Wes Roach, Rob Oppenheim, Davis Riley

2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am tee times: Round 2 (ET)

Pebble Beach Tee No. 1

11:30 a.m. – Peter Uihlein, Sam Burns, Ryan Blaum
11:41 a.m. – Matt Every, Kevin Streelman, Scott Stallings
11:52 a.m. – Andrew Putnam, Troy Merritt, Brendan Steele
12:03 p.m. – Andrew Landry, Adam Long, Satoshi Kodaira
12:14 p.m. – Fabián Gómez, John Daly, Xinjun Zhang
12:25 p.m. – Wes Roach, Rob Oppenheim, Davis Riley
12:36 p.m. – Bronson Burgoon, Adam Schenk, Matthew NeSmith
12:47 p.m. – Chris Kirk, Johnson Wagner, David Hearn
12:58 p.m. – Shawn Stefani, Alex Noren, Harry Higgs
1:09 p.m. – Max Homa, Paul Casey, Phil Mickelson
1:20 p.m. – Stewart Cink, Francesco Molinari, Brandt Snedeker
1:31 p.m. – Peter Malnati, Scott Harrington, Kristoffer Ventura
1:42 p.m. – Roger Sloan, Nelson Ledesma, Kamaiu Johnson

Pebble Beach Tee No. 10

11:30 a.m. – Sean O’Hair, Denny McCarthy, Will Gordon
11:41 a.m. – Aaron Baddeley, K.J. Choi, Seamus Power
11:52 a.m. – Brian Gay, Martin Trainer, Luke Donald
12:03 p.m. – Daniel Berger, Ryan Armour, Jim Furyk
12:14 p.m. – Rod Pampling, D.J. Trahan, Kramer Hickok
12:25 p.m. – Chase Seiffert, Michael Gellerman, Kenny Pigman
12:36 p.m. – James Hahn, Charley Hoffman, Bo Van Pelt
12:47 p.m. – Ben Martin, Tom Lehman, J.J. Spaun
12:58 p.m. – Chez Reavie, Sung Kang, Jimmy Walker
1:09 p.m. – Scott Piercy, Ted Potter, Jr., Kevin Chappell
1:20 p.m. – Branden Grace, Patrick Rodgers, Cameron Davis
1:31 p.m. – Hank Lebioda, Rafael Campos, Chris Baker
1:42 p.m. – Ryan Brehm, Sebastian Cappelen, Ben Taylor

Spyglass Hill Tee No. 1

11:30 a.m. – Nick Watney, Harold Varner III, Bo Hoag
11:41 a.m. – Vaughn Taylor, Tim Wilkinson, Sam Ryder
11:52 a.m. – Michael Kim, Patton Kizzire, William McGirt
12:03 p.m. – Brice Garnett, Pat Perez, Jason Dufner
12:14 p.m. – Ryan Moore, Bill Haas, Seung-Yul Noh
12:25 p.m. – Brandon Hagy, Rhein Gibson, Min Woo Lee
12:36 p.m. – Brian Harman, Matt Jones, John Senden
12:47 p.m. – David Duval, Mark Hubbard, Doug Ghim
12:58 p.m. – C.T. Pan, Grayson Murray, Kevin Stadler
1:09 p.m. – Michael Thompson, Tyler Duncan, D.A. Points
1:20 p.m. – Jhonattan Vegas, Roberto Castro, Beau Hossler
1:31 p.m. – Zack Sucher, Joseph Bramlett, Vincent Whaley
1:42 p.m. – Dominic Bozzelli, Michael Gligic, Akshay Bhatia

Spyglass Hill Tee No. 10

11:30 a.m. – Sangmoon Bae, Jonathan Byrd, Henrik Norlander
11:41 a.m. – Brian Stuard, Kelly Kraft, Maverick McNealy
11:52 a.m. – Nick Taylor, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth
12:03 p.m. – Si Woo Kim, Patrick Cantlay, Jason Day
12:14 p.m. – Kyle Stanley, Tom Lewis, Will Zalatoris
12:25 p.m. – Matt Gogel, Mark Anderson, Kevin Hall
12:36 p.m. – Rory Sabbatini, Cameron Tringale, Josh Teater
12:47 p.m. – Scott Brown, Joel Dahmen, Cameron Percy
12:58 p.m. – Jim Herman, Keith Mitchell, Russell Knox
1:09 p.m. – Nate Lashley, J.B. Holmes, Austin Cook
1:20 p.m. – Hunter Mahan, Ricky Barnes, Tom Hoge
1:31 p.m. – Chesson Hadley, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Tyler McCumber
1:42 p.m. – DKiradech Aphibarnrat, Jim Knous, Andy Ogletree

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The post The awesome story behind Phil Mickelson’s ball marker he only uses at Pebble Beach appeared first on Golf.

The post The awesome story behind Phil Mickelson’s ball marker he only uses at Pebble Beach appeared first on Golf.

Every pro or amateur golfer has a story behind their ball marker, and apparently Phil Mickelson has one behind what he uses exclusively at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Mickelson has a great chance to grab PGA Tour win No. 44 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Monday. He leads Paul Casey and Scott Stallings by three with just two holes remaining, and he’ll try to close it out when they resume at 11 a.m. ET on Monday. But win or lose, see if you can catch a glimpse of his unique ball mark.

Jim Nantz explained its special meaning during Sunday’s telecast. It’s a silver dollar, and it belonged to Mickelson’s grandfather, Al Santos, who was one of Pebble Beach’s original caddies when it opened in 1919. According to Nantz, Mickelson’s grandpa used to rub the coin and wish for a better life for himself and his family. That coin made its way to Mickelson, and he only uses it when he plays at Pebble Beach. When he plays in other events he uses a replica.

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‘I can see fine’: Mickelson annoyed when play called due to darkness

Mickelson, who has played at Pebble Beach as a pro since 1992, was actually asked about Pebble Beach and its special meaning to him earlier this week. He mentioned his grandfather.

“There’s a few things that within our family that go back to this place where my grandfather grew up here and he was one of the original caddies in the caddie group,” Mickelson said. “And he would go around here for 25, 30 cents a loop. And when we would talk about this place and what it meant to him growing up, and so there’s an emotional tie to this place. I don’t think it has anything to do with why I’ve played well here in the past, but you never know, it’s just I always enjoy coming here.”

Mickelson certainly has good vibes at Pebble. If he wins on Monday, it’ll be his fifth victory in the event, tying him with Mark O’Meara for the most in tournament history.

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The post 7 things to know about iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links appeared first on Golf.

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Here’s everything that you need to know about Pebble Beach, one of the most iconic courses in the world and host to this year’s 2019 U.S. Open.

Course origin: Developer Samuel F.B. Morse was challenged with making Pebble Beach an attractive real estate investment. Morse believed that the development of a golf course along the rugged coastline would attract people to the south side of the Monterey Peninsula. So, in 1919, Morse assigned amateur course designers Jack Neville and Douglas Grant to build the course. Despite very little experience designing courses, Neville and Grant put together a track that has had to undergo only minor renovations. Its official coming out party was in 1929 when it hosted its first U.S. Amateur, which featured the likes of Bobby Jones.

Course design: When the course was originally designed, Neville and Grant’s goal was to place as many holes as possible along Carmel Bay. The course, which features dramatic views of the Pacific Ocean, runs 7,040 yards and has four tees for golfers to use (blue, gold, white, and red). While the fairways are made from winter ryegrass, the greens use poa annua grass. The course has undergone only a handful of renovations, but its most recent redesign came before the 2010 U.S. Open. Led by Arnold Palmer, four greens and 16 bunkers were rebuilt, altered, or installed, 11 tees were enhanced, trees were added or adjusted on six greens, and the course distance was lengthened.

The history of the pro-am at Pebble Beach: The Pebble Beach Pro-Am was once known as the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am and has been played at Pebble Beach since 1947. Nicknamed the Crosby Clambake, the event was renamed as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in 1986 after the late singer and actor passed away and his family stopped hosting. 

The history of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach: The course hosted its first U.S. Open in 1972 when Jack Nicklaus won his third U.S. Open title. The course has since hosted the national championship four more times in 1982, 1992, 2000, and 2010. It will host the U.S. Open for the sixth time this June and for the seventh time in 2027.

Other big events at Pebble Beach: The U.S. Amateur has been played at Pebble Beach five times, most recently this past year. Between its first in 1929 and most recent in 2018, Pebble Beach has hosted the U.S. Amateur in 1947, 1961, and 1999. Meanwhile, the PGA Championship has been hosted only once at Pebble Beach back in 1977 when Lanny Wadkins won the only major of his career.

Longest hole: The par-5 14th hole runs 572 yards from the furthest tees and plays as the number one handicap. The dogleg right is a three-shot hole for almost all golfers. The well-placed bunker to the right of the fairway can capture shots that are aimed at cutting the dogleg. Golfers should use as much club as possible on their second shot. If the pin is tucked upper left, players are advised to take one extra club to carry the bunker in front of the green.

Shortest (and most iconic!) hole: The debate over what Pebble Beach’s most iconic hole is can get heated, but luckily enough, one of them happens to be the shortest hole on the course. The par-3 7th hole, which runs 106 yards from the back tees, is in fact the shortest hole on the PGA Tour and plays as the number 18 handicap. Situated on Arrowhead Point, the wind can get crazy at the 7th hole. As a result, club selection is dependent upon how strong the wind is. Sam Snead once opted to putt off the tee and down a dirt cart path instead of sending a shot airborne into the crazy wind. Golfers are advised to try a knockdown shot, keep the ball from going into the wind, and play it safe to the middle of the green. 

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The PGA Tour continues its West Coast swing this week as it heads to iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The field consists of some of the best golfers and biggest celebrities in the world, but who is the betting favorite to win?

The answer is Dustin Johnson, who enters this week’s event with 5/1 odds to win. The No. 3 player in the world, who has not appeared on the PGA Tour since the Sentry Tournament of Champions last month, is coming off a win on the European Tour this past weekend at the Saudi International. The 34-year-old Johnson has not won on the PGA Tour since the RBC Canadian Open last July. Johnson has previously won the pro-am twice in 2009 and 2010.

Following closely behind DJ is Jason Day with 9/1 odds to win. The 31-year-old Day, who is currently ranked No. 12 in the world, last won on the Tour this past May at the Wells Fargo Championship. He last appeared on Tour two weeks ago at the Farmers Insurance Open, where he finished tied for fifth. World No. 11 Tony Finau enters with the third-highest odds to win at 18/1. The 29-year-old Finau failed to make the cut this past weekend at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and last won on Tour back in 2016 at the Puerto Rico Open.

Finally, Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood, and Matt Kuchar all enter with 20/1 odds to win. Ranked 21st in the world, the 25-year-old Spieth last appeared on Tour at the Farmers Insurance Open where he finished tied for 35th. He hasn’t won a PGA Tour event since the Open Championship in 2017.

The 28-year Fleetwood, ranked No. 14 in the world, will be making his first appearance on the Tour since the WGC-HSBC Champions this past October. Meanwhile, the 40-year-old Kuchar moved up to No. 20 in the world after finishing tied for fourth at TPC Scottsdale this past weekend. He won last month at the Sony Open.

You can see a full list of betting odds for the Desert Classic below, via golfodds.com.

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Betting Odds

Dustin Johnson-5/1
Jason Day-9/1
Tony Finau-18/1
Jordan Spieth-20/1
Tommy Fleetwood-20/1
Matt Kuchar-20/1
Phil Mickelson-25/1
Paul Casey-25/1
Patrick Cantlay-25/1
Adam Scott-25/1
Patrick Reed-30/1
Branden Grace-30/1
Chez Reavie-30/1
Matthew Fitzpatrick-40/1
Shane Lowry-40/1
Adam Hadwin-40/1
Brandt Snedeker-50/1
Rafael Cabrera Bello-50/1
Cameron Champ-50/1
Sungjae Im-50/1
Jason Kokrak-50/1
Kevin Kisner-60/1
Russell Knox-60/1
Scott Piercy-60/1
Andrew Putnam-60/1
J.B. Holmes-60/1
Beau Hossler-80/1
Russell Henley-80/1
Lucas Glover-80/1
Charley Hoffman-80/1
Martin Laird-80/1
Jimmy Walker-100/1
Chesson Hadley-100/1
Pat Perez-100/1
Si Woo Kim-100/1
Austin Cook-100/1
Kevin Streelman-100/1
Dylan Frittelli-100/1
Ryan Palmer-100/1
Doug Ghim-100/1
Talor Gooch-100/1
Trey Mullinax-100/1
Nick Watney-100/1
J.J. Spaun-100/1
Graeme McDowell-125/1
Jim Furyk-125/1
Corey Conners-125/1
Michael Thompson-125/1
Ted Potter, Jr-125/1
Steve Stricker-150/1
John Catlin-150/1
Scott Stallings-150/1
Aaron Baddeley-150/1
Chris Stroud-150/1
Sung Kang-150/1
Keith Mitchell-150/1
Ryan Armour-150/1
Nate Lashley-150/1
Patrick Rodgers-150/1
Matt Jones-150/1
Brian Gay-150/1
Vaughn Taylor-150/1
Joel Dahmen-150/1
James Hahn-150/1
Sangmoon Bae-150/1
Dominic Bozzelli-150/1
Ernie Els-200/1
Davis Love III-200/1
Anders Albertson-200/1
Richy Werenski-200/1
Cameron Davis-200/1
Hunter Mahan-200/1
Nick Taylor-200/1
Michael Kim-250/1
Kramer Hickok-250/1
Curtis Luck-250/1
Adam Long-250/1
Ho Sung Choi-300/1
David Duval-2000/1

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The post Viral star Hosung Choi (and his wacky swing) to make PGA Tour debut appeared first on Golf.

The post Viral star Hosung Choi (and his wacky swing) to make PGA Tour debut appeared first on Golf.

The tournament sponsors at one early-season event are finally giving the people what they want. Korean golf sensation Hosung Choi will make his PGA Tour debut this February.

The venue for Choi’s maiden Tour competition is none other than iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, according to a report on Chosun.com. The tournament extended the Japan Golf Tour pro a sponsor’s exemption to play in the popular Tour event. Choi has no official PGA Tour status and is ranked No. 198 in the world, so he can’t compete on the American tour without an exemption.

You may also like Monday Swing Coach: A frame-by-frame breakdown of Hosung Choi’s viral golf swing

“I never imagined this day would come,” Choi told Chosun.com upon hearing the news. “I took up golf at the age of 25, after a hard life. I’m fully aware that none of this would be possible without the love and support of my fans. I will of course do my best, wherever I go.”

Choi won over golf fans and became a viral star in 2018 thanks to his truly bizarre swing and follow-through, as well as his outsized personality on and off the course. But Choi isn’t all style, there’s plenty of substance to his game too. The 45-year-old won the Japan Golf Tour’s Casio World Open in November.

“I lived year after year in a struggle,” Choi told GOLF.com after his win. “But I had the desperate and urgent mindset that golf was all I had. I think that is what made me.”

Last month, a PGA professional started an online petition demanding that Choi get a sponsor’s exemption into the Waste Management Phoenix Open. While that exemption has yet to materialize, fans will get to see the Korean star on Tour in February after all.

The 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am kicks off February 4 and is played across three historic golf courses on the Monterey Peninsula: Spyglass Hill, Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Shore Course, and Pebble Beach Golf Links which hosts the final round.

This won’t be the last time we see the best golfers in this corner of the world this year. They will return to Pebble Beach in June for the 2019 U.S. Open.

But if Choi wants to come back for that one, he’ll need a lot more than a sponsor’s exemption.

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The post Dustin Johnson shoots 64 to share Pebble Beach lead with Beau Hossler appeared first on Golf.

The post Dustin Johnson shoots 64 to share Pebble Beach lead with Beau Hossler appeared first on Golf.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Dustin Johnson already was feeling good about his game heading over to the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula. Another day of gorgeous weather in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am made him feel even better.

Johnson ran off three straight birdies to start his round, made four birdies in a five-hole stretch around the turn and wound up with a seven-under 64 on Friday to share the 36-hole lead with Beau Hossler.

“Probably my lowest by about seven shots at Monterey Peninsula, so I was happy with that,” Johnson said. “It’s probably the first time, too, I think we have ever played over there with nice weather. So it was definitely a good day.”

He only slightly exaggerated, but not by much. In four times playing at Monterey Peninsula since it joined the rotation, he only broke 70 one time and twice shot 73. The evidence of the different day he faced came early. Johnson hit a 9-iron on the 176-yard hole that plays downhill. A year ago, he hit 4-iron. On the 434-yard 13th hole a year ago, he “roasted” a driver and a 3-iron. This year, he hit 3-wood and had 85 yards left.

“But I was right behind the tree,” he said.

Hossler, the PGA Tour rookie best known in these parts for contending on the weekend at Olympic Club in 2012 U.S. Open when he was 17, was flawless at Spyglass Hill in a round of 67 to join Johnson at 12-under par.

Hossler has not made a bogey this week. He holed an 18-foot par putt on the 10th hole at Pebble on Thursday. For his second round, he never came close to bogey, hitting all but two greens in regulation and having standard chips on those.

Hossler heads over to Monterey Peninsula, while Johnson spends his last two days at Pebble Beach.

They were two shots ahead to par on Julian Suri (67 at Monterey Peninsula) and Troy Merritt (67 at Spyglass Hill).

Lurking another shot behind were Phil Mickelson and Jon Rahm.

Mickelson hasn’t won since the British Open in 2013 at Muirfield, and he finally started to see some reasonable results after a sluggish start this year. Mickelson was tied for the lead at one point when he ran off three straight birdies at Monterey Peninsula, though he made only two more over his final 11 holes for a 65.

Rahm was at Pebble Beach and holed his share of six-footers for birdie for a 67. Just as big was the eight-foot putt he made on the 18th hole for par when he hit 3-wood to the right behind a tree, pitched nicely under the limbs and over the bunker just through the green, and then his chip ran downhill by the hole.

Jason Day had a 65 at Monterey Peninsula and was in the group at nine under that included Steve Stricker (66 at Monterey Peninsula).

Jordan Spieth found some touch with the putter to make five birdies on his opening nine holes at Monterey Peninsula, and he wound up with a 66, though he remained seven shots behind Johnson.

“I saw a couple putts go in early and normally that’s all I need to kind of stop skiing uphill and start to turn downhill,” Spieth said.

Rory McIlroy went downhill.

He was hanging round at five under, not far from the lead, when he drove to the front of the par-4 fifth hole at Monterey Peninsula, leaving him a 70-foot eagle putt. He ran that about six feet past the hole, and then missed his birdie putt. But then he missed his par putt from three feet, and it ran about six feet by the hole, and he missed that one. That’s five putts for a double bogey, and two more bogeys led to a 74 and left him in danger of missing the cut.

Hossler, who played at Texas, is part of the new generation who thought they could take on the best from when they were in college. He’s not one to be intimidated by the world’s No. 1 player (they are represented by the same manager), and that won’t be an issue on Saturday, anyway.

Johnson is part of the celebrity rotation at Pebble Beach. Hossler figures to be in relative solitude at Monterey Peninsula.

“I try and not let those things affect me,” Hossler said. “But yeah, playing on a moving day-type day, not at the home track for the tournament, that’s certainly different really most weeks out here.”

Johnson was full of good news on Friday – his 64 for a share of the lead as he goes for a third victory at Pebble Beach, and he found out that his dad bowled a 300. The world’s No. 1 golfer grew up with bowling and said he once had a chance at a perfect game.

“I bowled 11 in a row,” he said, breaking into a smile, “and then I gassed it.”

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Mixed in between Jason Day’s press conference praise of Rory McIlroy on Wednesday was a shot at the Irishman’s desire, which Day suggested was all that separated McIlroy from Tiger Woods.

“He is just explosive,” Jason Day said of McIlroy. “Not only explosive off the tee and with his iron shots, but he can make a lot of birdies quickly. He’s a guy that’s not afraid of going low and lapping the field. We have seen that at the PGA and the U.S. Open. I was on the back end of the U.S. Open, I finished second there and I lost by eight.

“He’s not afraid, which is how champions think. I think the biggest thing for Rory is the desire part, how much do you really want it, because he has the tools to be kind of Tigeresque.”

It was that last sound bite — “how much do you really want it” — that was repeated to McIlroy at his own presser. The four-time major winner, who didn’t seem put off by the question, insisted that he is motivated and rejuvenated heading into this year.

“I was just sort of ready to call it quits for the year after the Dunhill,” he said. The Dunhill last October was McIlroy’s final appearance of 2017. “But with how I was sort of dejected and wanting to get away from it I was then, to how rejuvenated and optimistic I am now, it feels a lot different that way.

“I certainly want it. There’s no doubt about that,” he continued. “I want to be one of the best players to ever have played the game when I decide to call it a day. So, the desire is definitely there. Look, like everyone sitting up here in front of you guys that plays the PGA Tour has a very comfortable life, so that’s not an excuse in any way. That’s not the reason that I’m out here to play, I’ve got everything I need. It’s just about gathering trophies and trying to be the best golfer that I can be.”

McIlroy and father Gerry are paired with Phil Mickelson and his partner, investment banker Jimmy Dunne III, at Spyglass Hill, Monterey Peninsula Country Club and Pebble Beach through Saturday. The event is McIlroy’s PGA Tour season debut.

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After a wild week at TPC Scottsdale for the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the PGA Tour heads to sacred ground in Pebble Beach, Calif. to compete across three famed golf courses at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Not only that, but, as always, the players will have celebrities playing alongside them.

Some heavyweights tee off early Thursday at Spyglass Hill, inlcuding Jerry Kelly and Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers at 11:00 a.m. ET with Kevin Streelman and Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald. They are followed soon after by Dustin Johnson and Wayne Gretzky (11:22 a.m. ET), who are playing with defending champ Jordan Spieth and country singer Jake Owen.

Rory McIlroy makes his 2018 PGA Tour debut with his father Gerry McIlroy at 11:55 a.m. at Spyglass. Phil Mickelson will be joining the McIlroys for round one, playing with investor Jimmy Dunne III. Celebrity fan favorite Bill Murray is teaming up with D.A. Points, the 2011 champion, at 12:06 p.m. ET.

You can find complete tee times here.

What: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Where: Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill, and Monterey Peninsula; Pebble Beach, Calif.
When: Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 8-11
Defending champion: Jordan Spieth (19 under total)

TV schedule (ET)

Thursday: 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel)
Friday: 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel)
Saturday: 2-3:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); 4-7 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday: 1-2:45 p.m. (Golf Channel; 3-6:30 p.m. (CBS)

Purse: $7.4 million
1st: $1.332 million
2nd: $7,992,000
3rd: $503,200
4th: $355,200
5th: $296,000
6th: $266,400
7th: $247,900
8th: $229,400
9th: $214,600
10th: $199,800

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