Preview: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

This week sees one of the most colourful events on the PGA Tour schedule. A host of celebrities as well as top pros head to the Californian coast for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Phil Mickelson at Pebble Beach
Fergus Bisset
By
published

Lowdown:  This celebrity pro-am tournament always attracts a stellar cast list of top golfers and stars from the world of music and film. Competitors play three rounds over three courses - Pebble Beach, Poppy Hills and Spyglass Hill with a final round at Pebble Beach. The tournament began life in 1937 and was established by Bing Crosby. The celebrities lining up this year include: Rubens Barrichello, Justin Timberlake, Luke Wilson and, of course, Bill Murray. He's famous for entertaining the galleries in this event and will, no doubt, have more high-jinx planned this time round.

Venue: Pebble Beach Golf Links, California Date: Feb 4-10 Course stats: Pebble Beach Golf Links par 72, 6,816 yards; Poppy Hills par 72, 6,833 yards; Spyglass Hill par 72, 6,858 yards Purse: $6,100,000Winner: $1,080,000Defending champion: Steve Lowery (-10)

TV coverage: Thursday 12 – Live on Setanta Golf from 8pm Friday 13 – Live on Setanta Golf from 8pm Saturday 14 – Live on Setanta Golf from 8pm Sunday 15 - Live on Setanta Golf from 8pm

player watch: Mike Weir – The Canadian has been playing solid golf for the last few months and has a superb record in this tournament. His last four finishes have been – 3, 2, 4, 3. Phil Mickelson – Although not on great form at the moment, the Californian has a great record in the event having won on three occasions, most recently in 2007. Padraig Harrington – The Irishman should be fully recovered from the surgery he had a couple of weeks ago. He managed a reasonable showing at the Buick last week (T24th) but will be keen to improve this time out.

Key hole: 7th at Pebble Beach. Only 106 yards, the key to negotiating this hole is managing the wind. Some days it can be a flick with a sand wedge, others it’ll require a knocked-down 7-iron. Skills required: Versatility. Players will have to contend with the different challenges posed by three courses as well as playing with amateur golfers.

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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