PEBBLE BEACH, CA - FEBRUARY 09: Scenic photo of the seventh hole during the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links, on February 9, 2019 in Pebble Beach, California. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR)

New look AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am kicks off Thursday!

It will be a different AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this year, as there will be no amateurs nor spectators at one of the most popular tour events of the season.

The tournament kicks off Thursday.

There are some adjustments for the tournament due to there being no amateurs.

The tournament will be contested over just two courses this year -Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill. The cut will come after 36 holes instead of the traditional 54 holes as the tournament is in the traditional PGA Tour stop.

The course set up is expected to be much tougher than in the past as with no amateurs, there is little reason to soften the course up to attempt to keep the time of the rounds from dragging, something that has kept some top ranked players away from the tournament.

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson was a late scratch this week as after winning in the Middle East last week, he is taking some time off. There are also only five players ranked in the Top 50 in the world and no one ranked in the Top 10 taking part this week.

Here are some pre-tournament notes of interest!

Things to Know:

  • Nick Taylor attempts to become first player to successfully defend his title at the event since Dustin Johnson in 2010
  • AT&T brand ambassador and 2017 champion Jordan Spieth returns for his ninth start at the event, coming off a T4 at last week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open
  • Five-time AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am champion Phil Mickelson seeks to surpass Mark O’Meara for most wins in tournament history.

Field Notes

  • Five of the top 30 in the FedExCup standings, led by Patrick Cantlay (3), Stewart Cink (10) and Si Woo Kim (13)
  • Five of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking, led by Patrick Cantlay (11), Daniel Berger (15) and Paul Casey (17)
  • Four 2020-21 PGA TOUR Season winners: Stewart Cink (Safeway Open), Patrick Cantlay (ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP @ SHERWOOD), Brian Gay (Bermuda Championship), Si Woo Kim (The American Express)
  • Nine past AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am champions (14 wins): Matt Gogel (2002), D.A. Points (2011), Jimmy Walker (2014), Brandt Snedeker (2013, 2015), Vaughn Taylor (2016), Jordan Spieth (2017), Ted Potter Jr. (2018), Phil Mickelson (1998, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2019), Nick Taylor (2020)
  • Four past FedExCup champions: Jim Furyk (2010), Bill Haas (2011), Brandt Snedeker (2012), Jordan Spieth (2015)
  • Eight sponsor exemptions: Akshay Bhatia, Matt Gogel, Kevin Hall, Kamaiu Johnson, Min Woo Lee, Andy Ogletree, Rod Pampling, Davis Riley

Player notes

Jordan Spieth

  • AT&T-sponsored athlete and 2017 tournament champion returns for his ninth start at the event
  • Held a share of the 54-hole lead and finished T4 at last week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open, earning his best result since the 2019 PGA Championship (T3)
  • In eight prior starts at the event, has finished outside the top 25 just once (T45/2019), highlighted by four top-10s (T4/2014, T7/2015, Won/2017, T9/2020)
  • Recorded ninth win (of 11) in his 108th TOUR start (100th as a professional on TOUR) at the 2017 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • Won in 2017 at the age of 23 years, 6 months, 16 days, making him the second-youngest winner of the event (John Cook/1981/23 years, 4 months)

Phil Mickelson

  • With his third-place finish in 2020, became the third player in PGA TOUR history with at least one top-10 in 30 consecutive seasons (Sam Snead, Raymond Floyd); was his 10th top-three finish at the event (five wins, two seconds, three thirds)
  • Won 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, his 44th career TOUR title in his 598th start at the age of 48 years, 7 months, 26 days
  • Five AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am titles (1998, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2019); tied with Mark O’Meara for most wins in the event
  • Owns 14 PGA TOUR titles in California, tied with Tiger Woods for most since 1983
  • Oldest winner in tournament history (2019; 48 years, 7 months, 26 days), surpassing 2008 champion Steve Lowery (47 years, 3 months, 29 days)

Additional Player Notes

  • Patrick Cantlay, the highest-ranked player in the field in the FedExCup standings (No. 3) and Official World Golf Ranking (No. 11), will make his fifth start at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (T9/2013, T48/2017, T35/2018, T11/2020)
  • Jason Day has four straight top-five finishes at this event (T5/2017, T2/2018, T4/2019, 4/2020) and first top-five on TOUR since a T5 at the 2019 Masters Tournament
  • Rickie Fowler returns to the event for the first time since 2012 (MC/2010, T27/2012)
  • Fresh off top-10 finishes in his last two starts (T8/The American Express, T10/Farmers Insurance Open), Francesco Molinari will make his tournament debut
  • 2013 and 2015 champion Brandt Snedeker holds the two-lowest 72-hole scoring records (265/2015, 267/2013)
  • Coming off his sixth top-25 finish of the season at last week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open (T17), PGA TOUR Special Temporary Member and World No.49 Will Zalatoris will make his second tournament appearance (T28/2018) Tournament Notes
  • 10 72-hole winners (nine players) of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am held at least a share of the lead for all four rounds – Nick Taylor (2020), Dustin Johnson (2010), Phil Mickelson (2005 and 2007), Tom Shaw (1971), Bert Yancey (1970), Lloyd Mangrum (1953), Jimmy Demaret (1952), Lloyd Mangrum (1948) and Ed Oliver (1940)
  • Six players since 1970 earned their first win at this event: John Cook (1981), Steve Jones (1988), Brett Ogle (1993), Matt Gogel (2002), Arron Oberholser (2006), D.A. Points (2011)
  • Ted Potter’s win in 2018 marked third time the TOUR had 1-2 finishes by lefties since 2005, with two coming at Pebble Beach: Ted Potter, Jr. (won) and Phil Mickelson (T2), 2018 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am; Bubba Watson (won) and Phil Mickelson (2), 2011 Farmers Insurance Open; Phil Mickelson (won) and Mike Weir (2), 2005 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

By Dennis Miller