This event is played on three different courses and at present they are Pebble Beach Golf Links (Par 72), Monterey Peninsula Shore Course (Par 70) and Spyglass Hills Golf Course (Par 72). The Pebble beach course hugs the coastline with Cliffside fairways and sloping greens.
It is a wonderful challenge and makes for great viewing with its amazing back drop. Pebble Beach also hosted the 2010 US Open.
Everyone plays all 3 courses before a 54 hole cut with the players who make the cut then playing Pebble Beach for a second time.
This event is not every player’s cup of tea as rounds can sometimes take up to 6 hours due to the amateurs who are paired with the professionals. A lot of patience is required if you are to do well this weekend.
Apart from a lot of patience, the winner will need to hit a lot of greens this week as the greens at Pebble Beach are very small. They can also be very tricky greens as they are Poa Annua and can play very bumpy in the afternoons. So look for someone who has a great short game and is also a good scrambler.
Driving distance is not a big factor this week as the weather will be good and the fairways will allow for a good roll which brings the bombers back to the field. Accuracy will be the more important driving stat.
The Bookies Top 5 in betting are- $9.00 Jason Day, $9.00 Jimmy Walker, $13.00 Jordan Spieth, $17.00 Dustin Johnson and $17.00 Patrick Reed.
Looking at the field this year I have two players who I believe will play well here and should give us 4 days of excitement and thrills. They are-
Zac Blair $101.00 www.sportsbet.com.au
Zac has game, and plenty of it. This time last year he was ranked no.1514 in the World. He goes into this weeks tournament ranked 158th. And he will crack the Top 100 very soon.
Three starts in 2015 have seen him 6th Sony Open, missed cut at the Humana Challenge and 11th last in the Farmers Insurance.
This week the players are contending with tricky Poa Annua greens which were the same in last weeks tournament where Zac was ranked 1st in strokes gained putting and 1st in putts per GIR. Awesome odds for a player in fine form and on the way up.
Kevin Na $41.00 www.sportbet.com.au
Tricky selection here. Kevin is an interesting character. He can throw in a great result then back it up with a missed cut.
I like his upwards progression this year. 64th, 48th and 26th from three starts.
Na has played in this tournament for quite a few years now and looking at his last three visits here you get form of 4th, 22nd and 5th.
That’s pretty good in anyone’s book. Worth noting he was ranked 18th at his last start in putts per GIR which will help here.
Good luck and good punting.