This week we head to the majestic Pebble Beach in California for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro Am. This event first started in 1937 at the Rancho Santa Fe golf club and was hosted by Bing Crosby. The event was won by the legendary Sam Snead who won $500 for his efforts all those years ago. This year the winner receives a whopping $1,152,000. The event moved to courses in Pebble Beach in 1947 and has been there ever since.
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. A few notable celebrities this week include the likes of Bill Murray (actor), Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers quarterback), Andy Garcia (actor), Andy Roddick (tennis) and Wayne Gretzky (Ice Hockey).
Apart from a great deal 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 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: 7/1 Phil Mickelson, 9/1 Dustin Johnson, 12/1 Brandt Snedeker, 16/1 Lee Westwood and 20/1 Nick Watney.
Phil is coming off a dominant win at the Phoenix Open last week and is also a four time winner of this tournament (2012, 2007, 2005, 1998). Dustin Johnson is a two time winner here in 2009 and 2010 while Brandt Snedeker is in great current form which reads 3rd, 23rd, 2nd and 2nd for his four starts this season.
Looking at the field this year there are two players who I believe will play well here and should give us 4 days of excitement and thrills. They are-
Hunter Mahan $29.00 www.sportsbet.com.au
I tipped Hunter two weeks ago at the Farmers Insurance Open where he finished in a tie for 15th. He then went on to finish T16th last week in the Phoenix Open. His game is on the up and this could be the week where he shows us why he won twice on the tour last year.
Last year he was T15th here while he finished 2nd in 2011. Hunter seems to enjoy the poa annua greens at Pebble Beach. This is evident when you look at his results at the Farmers Insurance Open which also has poa annua greens.
Two weeks ago he finished T15th at the Farmers. In 2012 he was T6th and in 2011 it was another T6th. Poa anuua seems to agree with him.
This all points to a good week ahead for Mahan. At the current odds he represents excellent each way and Top 10 value.
Jimmy Walker $41.00 www.sportsnews.com.au
This is the season where Jimmy Walker has his maiden PGA Tour victory. Last year saw him make 23 cuts from 28 starts which also included six Top 10’s.
Many golfing experts have Jimmy in their little back books as a player to watch this year; and looking at his form based around this tournament and the Farmers Insurance Open this could be the week to get on him at big odds.
Like Mahan, Walker appears to enjoy the poa annua greens. His game has really come of age in the last two seasons and this has produced two T9th finishes in this event over that time.
He has also finished T4 and T8th in the Farmers Insurance Open in 2012 and 2011 respectively.
His four starts this season have provided results of 26th, 23rd, 4th and 54th.
Stats wise this season he is ranked 18th in driving distance, 43rd in GIR, 16th in scoring average, 31st in scrambling, 3rd in par 4 performance and 4th in par 5 performance.
Stick with Jimmy Walker this year.
Good Luck and Good Punting!
