Photo credit: The Pebble Beach Company
It’s a week after the Super Bowl which means it’s time for the PGA Tour to roll into the Carmel-Monterey area for the annual tournament – the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
The tournament vastly changed a few years back when the format for the Crosby Clambake was turned upside down.
The tournament was the premier event to see golfs best players teamed up with a host of A list celebrities for three days of golf Players like Bill Murray and Kevin Costner turned Saturday at Pebble Beach into a “must see” event.
I spent multiple years as a fan, getting to Pebble early and staking out a spot by a tee box – the 14th tee was consistently a great spot – then enjoying a day of getting up close and personal with golfers and celebrities alike.
The lone problem was some of the Tour players – most notably Tiger Woods – didn’t play in the tournament because they didn’t like the long rounds caused by the celebrity rounds.
Of course, the weather could be a reason why as well but I honestly remember more Chamber of Commerce days, at the tournament than the rainy, windy days.
Then the PGA Tour came up with “Signature events” where more money was offered, enticing better players to get involved. Pebble Beach found a compromise, cutting the Pro-Am days to Thursday and Friday, with no amateurs playing on the weekend.
The move eliminated the one thing that brought so many fans to Pebble on Saturday, but it also did bring more of the top players to the tournament.
And that’s where we are today.
While there are some celebrities such as Travis Kelcie, Jake Owen, Condoleezza Rice, and Steve Young, the draw of the tournament now falls on the pro golfers.
Scottie Sheffler, Rory McIlroy, Maverick McNealy, Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood, J.J. Spaun, Hideki Matsuyama, Chris Gotterup, and Viktor Hovland are just some of the professionals playing.
The tournament the field of just 80 golfers – there is not cut for the event – will play one round at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill with their amateur partners.
The final two rounds are just the pros, and both rounds will be at Pebble.
Thursday and Friday coverage is on the Golf Channel from 12 noon- 4 p.m. Saturday watch the tournament on the Golf Channel from 10 a.m.-12 noon, then on CBS from 12-4 p.m.
On Sunday Golf Channel will once again carry coverage from 10 a.m.-12 noon, with CBS closing it out from 12 p.m.-3:30 P.M.