AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am Preview
The multi-course swing involves an finish this week on the California coast.
It is the AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am the place a full discipline of PGA TOUR execs will staff up with pro-am companions, a lot of these companions having movie star standing, whereas taking up some iconic programs. Most notably, the host course, Pebble Seaside Golf Hyperlinks.
Whereas 156 execs will begin the week, that quantity will likely be trimmed to the Low 60 and ties after 54 holes. The highest pro-am groups will proceed to duke it out on Sunday.
The Programs
It is one other week of splitting programs earlier than the reduce. This week strains up equally with the latest AmEx the place he noticed a trio of programs utilized to account for hours of daylight and the utilization of pro-am companions.
Pebble Seaside Golf Hyperlinks (Host Course):
This course wants no introduction. In the event you’ve performed any golf online game or simulator, you have seemingly seen Pebble Seaside Golf Hyperlinks.
It is also hosted six U.S. Opens, a PGA Championship, together with a handful of U.S. Amateurs.
Uncovered to the California coast, the problem of this observe can fluctuate vastly primarily based on the climate situations.
For instance, we have seen it play a few shot below par during the last two editions but it surely’s performed over par in 5 of the final 9 editions general.
One of many primary options we are able to spotlight is the tiny greens. They’ve a mean sq. footage of simply 3,500 which is nicely beneath the TOUR common of round 6,500.
The tiny greens put an emphasis on sensible strategy play and the flexibility to scramble. The difficult, poa annua surfaces emphasize that much more since you wish to keep away from as many five-foot, knee-knockers as doable on these typically bumpy surfaces.
Spyglass Hill:
This observe is a par 72 that units up simply over 7,000 yards (7,041 on the cardboard)
The par 5s usually are not simply accessed right here as the sector finds simply 0.27 eagles per 72 holes at Spyglass Hill (0.39 at Pebble Seaside and 0.50 at MPCC).
That places a cap on the anticipated ceiling rounds, in consequence, it performs because the hardest course most years on the AT&T Professional-Am.
The exception could be with Mom Nature pops into the equation. A bit extra guarded from the coastal winds, this course can typically be a secure heaven of kinds throughout windy rounds.
Joel Dahmen agreed again in 2017, “That is what we had been form of speaking about [Spyglass being the easiest in tough weather]. We would have gotten a break. We would have caught a break in the present day. Being up right here within the timber, but it surely’s nonetheless robust.”
This course has the same turf setup as Pebble Seaside with poa annua and ryegrass from tee-to-green with poa annua placing surfaces.
Monterey Peninsula Nation Membership:
Final however not least is MPCC. This course will typically play as the simplest of the bunch throughout match week. That is typically the place the “low spherical” will happen for a golfer earlier than the 54-hole reduce.
Arrange as a par 71, this 6,394-yard format is one other brief observe.
It ought to be famous it isn’t a standard par 71 as there are nonetheless 4 par 5s on the cardboard.
Probably the most notable characteristic right here is the extraordinarily beneficiant fairways. At 250 yards, we’re widths of fifty yards and 40 yards up on the 300 mark. Consequently, it is in all probability least impacted by any windy situations as a result of the professionals will nonetheless be capable to handle fairways and the greens are the biggest of the bunch as nicely with a mean sq. footage of round 6,000.
For turf, they will see bentgrass and fescue on the fairways with ryegrass tough and poa annua greens.
Course Quotes
Sifting by some previous quotes, let’s attempt to break down the course to see the way it will play.
Phil Mickelson in 2016: “the greens being poa annua are what I grew up on, so it is a grass I really feel snug. Not simply placing on, however chipping on, chipping into and hitting full pictures into. It may be difficult for guys if they are not used to it. It is one thing that I’ve turn out to be very snug with through the years.”
Vaughn Taylor in 2022: “I can get some brief irons in my fingers and a few wedges on some holes. So simply scoring golf equipment in my fingers. The place, some weeks, I am not the longest hitter, so it is exhausting to compete hitting 4-irons into some greens.”
Patrick Cantlay in 2022: “Spyglass, the greens are so undulating that you just actually have to go away your golf ball in the best spot. And there is a few gap places that you just actually need to know precisely what you are doing. And it is fortunate we do not play 4 rounds at that place as a result of I do not know if there’s 4 gap places on each inexperienced
Mickelson talks in regards to the consolation of getting grown up on poa annua. Cantlay talks in regards to the significance of leaving it beneath the opening to keep away from dropping pointless pictures. Taylor talks in regards to the strategy buckets as there are numerous extra wedges and brief irons right here in comparison with final week at Torrey Pines.
Correlated Programs
Utilizing historic information we are able to take a look at overperformance and underperformance at this week’s host course and examine that to the entire programs performed out on TOUR. Listed below are those that shared loads of overlap:
Riviera CC
Harbour City GL
Silverado Resort
Muirfield Village GC
The Climate
Thursday: Sunny with a excessive of 59 levels. Winds at 8 to 14 MPH with gusts flirting with 30 MPH.
Friday: Potential rain with a excessive of 57 levels. Winds at 8 to 12 MPH with gusts round 20 MPH.
Saturday: Sunny with a excessive of 56 levels. Winds at 6 to fifteen MPH.
It is uncommon to seek out too many calm days at this occasion however spherical one seems notably robust when it comes to anticipated winds.
Golfers to Watch
Jordan Spieth
The final time we noticed him in motion was on the Sony Open the place he went from first-round chief to lacking the reduce. The markets aren’t anxious about him staying down within the dumps as he is opened because the pre-tournament betting favourite. Spieth is a previous champ on the occasion (2017) and likewise arrives with a third and 2nd in his final two journeys to the occasion (2021, 2022).
Viktor Hovland
He gained the Hero World Problem to finish the 2022 schedule however settled for T18 at Kapalua. The 25-year-old has some good historical past with this week’s venue as he gained the 2018 U.S. Novice at Pebble Seaside and likewise completed twelfth on the 2019 U.S. Open. His lone begin at this occasion was a Thirty eighth-place end throughout the 2020 version.
Matt Fitzpatrick
The Englishman missed the reduce in his 2019 match debut however improved with a sixtieth the next 12 months and a Sixth-place end final 12 months. He is referred to as Harbour City certainly one of his favourite stops on TOUR and this week’s host course shares some similarities being a coastal course with tiny greens. He is proper alongside Spieth and Hovland within the early betting markets.
Maverick McNealy
Many are patiently ready for his breakout win and he is come shut at this occasion. He is posted 4 high 5s in his PGA TOUR profession and two have come on the Pebble Seaside Professional-Am, together with a runner-up end on the 2021 version.
Joel Dahmen
He is been dormant to begin the 12 months, however for good purpose. He lately grew to become a dad. Meaning his apply time has seemingly been lighter than common however on the identical time, however typically the start of a kid will flip the change mentally for golfers to liberate a few of their greatest golf. He additionally simply noticed his buddy, Max Homa, add a trophy to his case final week. There are loads of query marks with Dahmen this week but in addition loads of upside.
Keith Mitchell
The Georgia Bulldog has flashed some potential at this occasion through the years. He was T6 after spherical one of many 2018 AT&T, was T9 after spherical one the next 12 months, discovered himself T10 on the 2020 midpoint, and posted a T12 final 12 months. So, whereas one high 30 in 5 tries does not look all that appetizing, there’s some extra upside simply ready to be unlocked.
Rating the Area
1. Matt Fitzpatrick
2. Viktor Hovland
3. Maverick McNealy
4. Jordan Spieth
5. Seamus Power
6. Taylor Pendrith
7. Andrew Putnam
8. Keith Mitchell
9. Thomas Detry
10. Denny McCarthy
11. Justin Rose
12. Tom Hoge
13. Joel Dahmen
14. Brendon Todd
15. Matt Kuchar
16. Alex Smalley
17. Greyson Sigg
18. Dean Burmester
19. Beau Hossler
20. Scott Stallings