AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held annually at Pebble Beach, California, near Carmel. The tournament is usually held during the month of February on two different courses, currently Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course and previously, Monterey Peninsula Country Club.

The event was originally known as the Bing Crosby National Pro-Amateur, or just the Crosby Clambake. After Crosby's death in 1977, the tournament was hosted by his family for eight years. The Crosby name was dropped after the 1985 event, and AT&T Corporation became the title sponsor in 1986. It is organized by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation.

History

Founded in 1937, the first National Pro-Am Golf Championship was hosted by entertainer Bing Crosby and Larry Crosby in southern California at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club in San Diego County, the event's location prior to World War II. Sam Snead won the first tournament, then just 18 holes, with a winner's share of $500. A second round was added in 1938 and was played through 1942.

After the war, it resumed in 1947 as a 54-hole event, up the coast on golf courses near Monterey, where it has been played ever since. Beginning that year, it was played at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Cypress Point Club, and Monterey Peninsula Country Club through 1966. The tournament became a 72-hole event in 1958.

In 1967, the new Spyglass Hill replaced Monterey Peninsula CC as the third course (with the exception of 1977, when it returned to MPCC). After 1990, private Cypress Point was dropped by the PGA Tour because it would not admit an African-American member, and was replaced by Poppy Hills in 1991, which hosted through 2009. Poppy Hills was not well received by the players, primarily due to poor drainage, and MPCC returned to the rotation in 2010.

Notable professionals in recent years have included Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Mark O'Meara, Davis Love III, Jordan Spieth, and Vijay Singh. Notable celebrities have included fan favorite Bill Murray, Glenn Frey, Kevin Costner, Steve Young, George Lopez, Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Kenny G, Justin Timberlake, Ray Romano, Clay Walker, and Carson Daly. Past celebrities included many Hollywood legends, some of whom were accomplished amateur golfers. Jim Backus, best known as the voice of Mr. Magoo and as Thurston Howell III on Gilligan's Island, made the 36-hole pro-am cut in 1964.

When Gene Littler won the 1975 event, he was the first player who had been on a winning amateur team in this pro-am (which he had done as a 23 year-old in 1954) to have gone on to win it as a pro.

Current playing format

The starting field consists of 80 professionals and 80 amateurs. Each professional is paired with an amateur partner. On the first two days, 80 two-person teams will play a Better ball format with one round on Pebble Beach and the other round at Spyglass Hill. The pros also play an individual stroke play format. On the last two days, only the pros will advance to the third and final rounds held at Pebble Beach. In addition, there will be fewer celebrities in the pro-am field as well.

Prior playing format

Previously, the starting field consisted of 156 professionals and 156 amateurs. Each professional was paired with an amateur player. On the first three days, 156 two-man teams played a better ball format with one round on each of the three courses. The pros also played an individual stroke play format. On the final day, those professionals and pro-am teams making the 54-hole cut played on the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

• Individual pro cut: At 54 holes, the low 60 scorers plus any ties. Players between 61st and 70th (and ties) received both official money and FedEx Cup points, as the cut for this tournament ensured the field was smaller than a standard tournament cut of 70 to accommodate the pro-am teams playing on the last day. They were indicated as MDF (made cut, did not finish); this designation was used in other PGA Tour events when more than 78 players made the cut and the field was reduced to 70 and ties after the third round.

• Pro-Am cut: At 54 holes, the low 25 teams, plus any ties.

Only professionals competed in the individual competition part of the tournament. Amateurs were restricted to playing only in the pro-amateur team competition. The local Pebble Beach tournament officials organized the pairing of professionals with amateurs, while the PGA Tour managed the assignment of the pros' tee times.

Professional field

The professional field consists of 80 players selected using the standard eligibility rankings except that the following shall first be eligible:

1. AT&T Pebble Beach winners prior to 2000 and in the last five seasons
2. The Players Championship and major championship winners prior to 2000 and in the last five years

There is no open qualifying for this tournament.

Format

Conducted as a planned 72-hole pro-am event, 1958–present. Exceptions are as follows:

• 18 holes: 1937
• 36 holes (planned): 1938 to 1942
• 36 holes, due to bad weather: 1952
• 54 holes (planned): 1947 to 1951, 1953 to 1957
• 54 holes, due to bad weather: 1974, 1981, 1986, 1998, 1999, 2009 and 2024
  • In 1996, the first 36 holes were played as scheduled on Thursday and Friday. Rain on Saturday and Sunday prevented the completion of the tournament and it was canceled (54 holes required to be official due to three course setup).
  • In 1998, weather conditions prevented the tournament from being finished on schedule (9 holes were played Thursday, 9 on Friday, 18 on Saturday, rain Sunday and Monday). The third round was delayed until August to prevent cancellation similar to 1996. 43 of 168 players withdrew rather than return for the final round.
• No pro-am: 2021
  • In 2021, the pro-am section of the tournament was canceled due to safety concerns in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic; as a result Monterey Peninsula was also removed from the course rotation.
  • In 2023, the pro-am competition was shortened to 54 holes due to high winds on Saturday, February 4; professionals only competed in the final round on Monday, February 5.

Criticism

Despite being one of the most iconic events on the PGA Tour, many top players tend to skip the event, citing long rounds, celebrity distractions, sketchy weather and the bumpy poa annua greens. In addition, the schedule also made it difficult for players to compete in the event as it was usually the same week as the Saudi International, which also featured a strong field (mainly catered for by large appearance fees). The few top players who did compete regularly at Pebble Beach such as Jordan Spieth, were contractually obligated to compete there due to sponsorship reasons.

Tournament hosts

Winners

Source:

Multiple winners

Thirteen players have won this tournament more than once through 2022.

• 5 wins
  • Mark O'Meara: 1985, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1997
  • Phil Mickelson: 1998, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2019
• 4 wins
  • Sam Snead: 1937, 1938, 1941, 1950 (tie)
• 3 wins
  • Jack Nicklaus: 1967, 1972, 1973
  • Johnny Miller: 1974, 1987, 1994
• 2 wins
  • Lloyd Mangrum: 1948, 1953
  • Dutch Harrison: 1939, 1954
  • Cary Middlecoff: 1955, 1956
  • Billy Casper: 1958, 1963
  • Tom Watson: 1977, 1978
  • Davis Love III: 2001, 2003
  • Dustin Johnson: 2009, 2010
  • Brandt Snedeker: 2013, 2015

In addition, Nicklaus won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 1972, Watson in 1982.

Two others have won an AT&T and a U.S. Open at Pebble Beach; Tom Kite (1983 & 1992), and Tiger Woods (2000 & 2000).

Notes

References

External links

• Official website
• Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site
• Pebble Beach Golf Links