AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am 2021

[curt_jr]

23 hours ago, irvnasty said:

My least favorite event of the year, probably. I wish we got to enjoy an annual tournament at Pebble/Spyglass that didn't have all the noise around the Pro-Am component and that consequently would probably draw a better field. Can't the Pro-Am be one of the silly season events?

 

Consequently, I'm pretty excited for this week. I really hope that Fowler can pull things together and get the win he needs for the Masters, or at least get closer to on the right track. In a year and a half, he's gone from inconsistent with the driver and too strategically aggressive but otherwise elite in all categories to... ranked roughly 100th in every SG category. It's pretty bleak for a player who is clearly top 20 on talent. I'm not a Rickie diehard, but golf's more fun with him involved than without.

Would love an annual here to showcase how stunning the property is. Would also love to see Rickie do something big, and not add more scar tissue to inhibit him from a win -hopefully- soon.

[ebrasmus21]

18 minutes ago, m d g said:

When I coached JV golf we played Bayonet as a warm-up for an afternoon 9-hole match against Robert Louis Stevenson at Spyglass. It was so windy the stand bags were being pushed over. Toughest 18 I've ever played. The wind calmed down in the afternoon and Spyglass was easy by comparison.

 

Lesson? Never play Bayonet in the wind. You will suffer.

Every time I’ve ever played Bayonet, for whatever reason, the weather has been perfect.  Doesn’t matter, that course kicks my assss no matter what.  

[tw_focus]

What the real story here, why did almost the entire T50 pass on this event?

 

With DJ out, my money is on Phil. Guy holds the course record at Spyglass and always plays well in this event.

[chigolfer1]

2 hours ago, tw_focus said:

What the real story here, why did almost the entire T50 pass on this event?

 

With DJ out, my money is on Phil. Guy holds the course record at Spyglass and always plays well in this event.

 

Yeah, have to admit, this is downright weird.  The Strength of Field is  at mid/low European Tour event levels at this point.

Edited February 9, 2021 by chigolfer1

[Golfingfanatic]

3 hours ago, tw_focus said:

What the real story here, why did almost the entire T50 pass on this event?

 

With DJ out, my money is on Phil. Guy holds the course record at Spyglass and always plays well in this event.

Sandwiched between Saudi/Phoenix and Riv. Plus a WGC after.

[Mustard_Tiger]

 

21 hours ago, MattyO1984 said:

 

Looking at the field, this has to be up there with the worst field on Tour. Having just sat down and looked through the Top 50, the guys playing are as follows:-

 

1-10 players = 0

11-20 players = 3 (Casey, Berger and Cantlay)

21-30 players = 0

31-40 players = 0

41-50 players = 2 (Jason Day and Will Zalatoris)

 

 

 

Hey, the John Deere Classic called. They said they wanted their strength of field back.

 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2021 by Mustard_Tiger

[FOOTJOY16]

I have to admit.. I won't miss the cheesy awkward interviews. the announcers breaking down the hack's swings and telling us "there is a lot of good" in that swing, or the obligatory shots on 17 that rarely resemble a golf shot.. just my 2 cents.  Actually looking forward to seeing the course and enjoying the tournament....

[elwhippy]

After a trip to Saudi the return to Monterrey must have scared a lot of players. An epic flight no matter what class of travel you are on. 

[Frankensteins Monster]

It was the right choice for DJ to bail. The weather is not going to be above mid 60's and there's chance of rain everyday except for Sunday. This should be held in the summer months so the courses can be seen in all their beauty and I bet more pros would show up.

Edited February 10, 2021 by Frankensteins Monster

[gvogel]

On 2/8/2021 at 11:01 AM, FakeClubPro said:

+100  It will be great without the "celebs."  One of the worst was the US sports announcer who cannot even play.  I can't remember the guy.  Totally obnoxious.   I hope they keep the celebs away in the future.

That would be Chris Berman.

[gvogel]

On 2/9/2021 at 4:17 AM, MattyO1984 said:

 

Massive impact on the Strength of Field with him withdrawing. It was projected that the winner would earn 36 points this week. With him pulling out it goes down to 28.

 

Looking at the field, this has to be up there with the worst field on Tour. Having just sat down and looked through the Top 50, the guys playing are as follows:-

 

1-10 players = 0

11-20 players = 3 (Casey, Berger and Cantlay)

21-30 players = 0

31-40 players = 0

41-50 players = 2 (Jason Day and Will Zalatoris)

 

Sorry but that is grim. Really really grim. Clearly perceptions change but, the simple fact that this was at Pebble historically suggested that this was a big event. The above would tend to suggest that if that ever were the case, it is no longer.

If I was AT&T I would ask for my sponsorship money back.  Until the PGA Tour gets the schedule thought out, this event is in trouble.  It's a shame because Pebble looks so wonderful when you're sitting at home because it's 15* outside.

[Hawkeye77]

On 2/8/2021 at 4:16 AM, elwhippy said:

Looking forward to this without the US celebs that we Brits have no idea about. 

LOL, at the last Alfred Dunhill Links I think other than maybe Matthew Goode and Peter Dawson the Americans were about the only ams people on either side of the pond probably know!

[chigolfer1]

Nice article explaining all the converging reasons this has turned into the Safeway event.   The scheduling timing, as the poster above said, is one of the main reasons:

 

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/att-pebble-beach-pro-am-why-more-top-ranked-tour-pros-are-not-in-playing-this-week

[bladehunter]

Oh my goodness. This celebrity challenge is atrocious.  I’m seeing parts of #1 I’ve never seen before.   And it’s a scramble.  And this rapper guy has the full swing yips. Hard to watch.  

[CaymanS]

Will John Daly finish higher than David Duval?

[Creedo77]

Man this field went deep, Two Gloves is first alternate. 

[KRAMER1997]

It's in a tough spot. I there are a number of factors why many top guys aren't playing it. You've got 2 WGC's, the Players and The Masters all in a 9 week span.  Somebody will end up taking a hit. The tournament I hope that doesn't take a hit would the Valspar. That's one of my favorite courses on tour and they moved it to May. 

[Creedo77]

8 minutes ago, KRAMER1997 said:

It's in a tough spot. I there are a number of factors why many top guys aren't playing it. You've got 2 WGC's, the Players and The Masters all in a 9 week span.  Somebody will end up taking a hit. The tournament I hope that doesn't take a hit would the Valspar. That's one of my favorite courses on tour and they moved it to May. 

a few factors

 

1. most guys dropping out most likely havent had a week off in their schedule

2. more important ($$$) events coming up

3. the forecast = cold weather, yeah no thanks

4. the guys playing over in Saudi are worn out. Some most likely did Hawaii/Amex/Saudi, brutal travel

[tw_focus]

I don't understand the complaints about the weather, 50 degrees w/ light wind (weather for Thursday) is basically perfect golf weather. Just wear a jacket, and after walking a few holes you probably take it off. No problem rest of the round. I would take 50 degrees any day over 80 degrees+++.

 

Now if you're carting and not walking, I could see how you might get cold. But that's not the case the Tour

[scott_Donald]

8 hours ago, Hawkeye77 said:

LOL, at the last Alfred Dunhill Links I think other than maybe Matthew Goode and Peter Dawson the Americans were about the only ams people on either side of the pond probably know!

 

A lot of the players seem to use the Dunhill to say thank you to Sponsors or friends. My dads friend was invited 2019 by a Scottish European tour player just to have fun. The player paid the fee for my dads friend.

[aenemated]

3 hours ago, tw_focus said:

I don't understand the complaints about the weather, 50 degrees w/ light wind (weather for Thursday) is basically perfect golf weather.

 

Nah man, the wind off that Pacific gets COLD - especially for a buncha dudes used to Florida, Arizona and us babies outta Southern California.

[Draw Driver]

With the diminished field maybe Fowler can get it together or his Major streak is going to come to an end. I’d like to see Cantlay get it done. 

[grm24]

32 minutes ago, Draw Driver said:

With the diminished field maybe Fowler can get it together or his Major streak is going to come to an end. 

Hardly. Fowler not winning the AT&T this weekend will not end his majors played streak. Fowler will still have 2 months worth of events to be able to qualify for the 2021 Masters via the OWGR or winning a non opposite field event on the PGA Tour.

 

If Fowler is in the OWGR top 50 the week before the Masters he will qualify for the 2021 Masters. Fowler is only one high finish to returning to the OWGR Top 50. Easy information to find.

[hunterdog]

Based on the comments so far, I am an outlier regarding the “Clam Bake”. This used to be the first tournament that on the calendar I looked forward to watching. The courses on the Monterey Peninsula were always good viewing.  I even enjoyed watching celebrities and athletes play, of course, that was before corporate v.i.p. s filled the field.  I’ve been fortunate enough to play the courses a few times, in good and bad weather, and always had a great time and enjoyed thinking how I played the hole.  Certainly more fun than watching the pros play at so many of the cookie cutter courses that they play now.  On television, so many of the courses look the same, I’m not sure why the Tour moves from course to course.

[Ronnie Mundt]

4 hours ago, hunterdog said:

Based on the comments so far, I am an outlier regarding the “Clam Bake”. This used to be the first tournament that on the calendar I looked forward to watching. The courses on the Monterey Peninsula were always good viewing.  I even enjoyed watching celebrities and athletes play, of course, that was before corporate v.i.p. s filled the field.  I’ve been fortunate enough to play the courses a few times, in good and bad weather, and always had a great time and enjoyed thinking how I played the hole.  Certainly more fun than watching the pros play at so many of the cookie cutter courses that they play now.  On television, so many of the courses look the same, I’m not sure why the Tour moves from course to course.

I’m on board with you, it’s just the corporate VIP element that really has gotten to be an annoyance with me. If they want to trot Andy Garcia and Larry the Cable Guy out there to hack around for a few days, fine. But when Rick Smith, the CEO of Acme Corp. duffs a green side chip for double bogey, does anyone who puts this thing on think anyone cares? It’s not the least bit entertaining. Thank god they don’t have these folks coming out this year. Besides the health implications of the pandemic, the economic implications are just as bad. Don’t show a bunch of rich old corporate executives playing golf and chumming it up with celebrities on national TV. Very bad look given what so many people are going through.

[kelpie]

I'll agree that the event is just not the same, especially after watching it in the 80's and 90 's. The 6 person "Shootout" yesterday was a kind of a joke, but I'd watch Kathryn Newton play anytime. She was the only bright spot, can't believe they never interviewed her. She would be a great rep for the LPGA. She can play and had some swagger. Can't believe this is the first time she's been on camera.

[RSinSG]

I like watching the tournament because of the optics. It’s a beautiful course. I’m glad I got to the play there when I did and like the courses in the (used to be Bob Hope) tournament in the Coachella Valley I like watching the pros play on courses I’ve played. 

[Sean2]

I wonder if the course set up will be more challenging?

[ThinkingPlus]

6 minutes ago, Sean2 said:

I wonder if the course set up will be more challenging?

Yes.  Per article on Golf.com (I think), expect more tucked pins and more difficult setup overall.

[Rangeballz]

Hopefully (but not optimistically) without celebs they can eliminate the fluff interviews every two minutes and really show some golf.  Love to see some of the holes at Spyglass we rarely see.