What Is The Pebble Beach Pro-Am Format?

The Pebble Beach Pro-Am has been an established tournament since 1937 and remains one of the most eagerly-anticipated events on the PGA Tour calendar.

Bringing together some of the world's best golfers and an array of famous faces from throughout the world of popular culture, the iconic Pebble Beach Golf Course in California gives fans the chance to watch some of their favorite celebrities tee it up and show what they can do on the links.

Sponsored by AT&T since 1986 and now organized by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, the inaugural Pebble Beach Pro-Am saw Sam Snead take home the title and a check for $500. Fast forward almost 90 years and the victorious player currently banks $3.6 million from a total prize purse of $20 million.

Of course, several key changes have been made to the event over the years, not least its evolution from high-profile competition to PGA Tour Signature Event - offering higher prize money and increased FedEx Cup points for many of the world's leading players.

The courses it is played on have been switched around, too, with Pebble Beach an almost ever-present and the likes of Monterrey Peninsula CC and Poppy Hills taking turns to host. Since 2024, Pebble Beach has been accompanied by Spyglass Hill.

WHAT WAS THE OLD PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM FORMAT?

Before it became a Signature Event in 2024, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am used to contain 156 professional golfers and the same number of amateurs - with each team featuring one PGA Tour player.

The pairs would play better ball over three courses through the first three days and those who made the cut would return to Pebble Beach on Sunday to contend for the title. Meanwhile, pros would compete in the usual stroke play format for the individual title, with the cut occurring on Saturday.

WHAT IS THE NEW PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM FORMAT?

Since 2024 when the Pebble Beach Pro-Am became a Signature Event on the PGA Tour schedule, just 80 pro golfers are included in the field along with 80 celebrity amateurs.

The pro contingent is made up of last season's top-50 in the FedEx Cup standings, the Aon Next 10, the leading finisher from the 2024 Race to Dubai standings (who is not otherwise exempt), the current Aon Swing 5 and sponsor exemptions. If those exemption groups do not total 80 players, the remaining spots will be filled by the next highest players from the most recent completed FedEx Cup Fall standings.

Similar to before, the 80 duos play better ball golf (with handicaps for the amateurs), but it is now just across 36 holes instead of 54 with one round at Pebble Beach and the other at Spyglass Hill. And as before, the pros compete against each other in stroke play for the increased prize money and FedEx Cup points.

However, the amateur competition ends after Friday's second round and a champion team is crowned. From there, the pros are left to go on alone at Pebble Beach as they aim to wrap up the individual title. There is no cut in the professional event and all 80 golfers jostle for position through four rounds.