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. Of the 21 Par 72 courses on the 2011 tour (apart from Majors) Spyglass Hill was ranked 4th most difficult and Pebble Beach was rated 5th. Even although both are under 7000 yards! Monterey Peninsula was ranked 6th easiest in the same year.

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), Kenny G (musician), Clyde Drexler (basketball) and Don Cheadle (actor). Bill Murray was in fact the playing partner of the 2011 Winner D.A.Ponts. Could it could be Groundhog Day again in 2012 for Murray’s
partner?

There are three multiple winners of this event in the field this year and they are Phil Mickelson with 3 wins, Davis Love III with 2 and Dustin Johnson who also has 2 wins which were in 2009 and 2010.

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.

Looking at the field this year I have come up with three players who I believe will play well here and should give us 4 days of excitement and thrills. They are-

Hunter Mahan

He played on the European Tour last week and missed the cut in Qatar. Prior to that however he was T6th at the Farmers (Poa Annua Greens) where he recorded some great stats in GIR’s and putting. He was also T6th in the same event in 2011. At the Pebble Beach Pro Am in 2011 he was an excellent 2nd. Looking at his 2011 stats he also ranked highly in GIR’s and strokes gained in putting. Expect him to be in contention come Sunday.

Odds: $21.00 at Sportsbet Australia

John Huh

Where has this young 21 year come from! What a start to the year he has had. He started off with a 53rd in the Sony then a T6th Farmers Insurance and followed that up with a T12th Phoenix Open last week. He didn’t play on the Nationwide Tour last year however he still managed a T24th in the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament to earn his rookie card for 2012. In 2010 he won the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea beating KJ Choi by 2 strokes! This kid has game. He hits it straight and putts well. I think this young man could do very well 2012.

Odds: $81.00 at Sportsbet Australia

Jimmy Walker

I am going out on a limb with Jimmy this week. I was impressed with his T8th at the Farmers Insurance 2 weeks ago where he putted well on the Poa Annua greens. In fact his all round game was pretty good. Add to this his T9th in the Pro Am last year and I believe we could have a good little dark horse on the books. He started 2011 well with a 4th in Sony Open, the T9th at Pebble Beach and a T4th in the Northern Trust. I just hope we haven’t picked him a week too early!

Odds: $81.00 at Sportsbet Australia

Good Luck everyone with your selections.

Last Week:

Congratulations have to go to Kyle Stanley for the way he bounced back from his P2 at Farmers Insurance to win the Phoenix Open. Not a lot of guys could bounce back that quickly, yet this kid did. Watch for him to have a great year on the tour. He showed some great ticker!

Our selection of Martin Laird (T61st) did not live up to the expectation. Mark Wilson (T19th) showed some good signs with a great 64 in the 4th round.

Next Week:

See you all again next week for the Northern Trust Open where Aussie Boy Aaron Baddeley is the Defending Champion.