AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am Preview – 2019

Date:	February 4-10, 2019
Where:	Pebble Beach Golf Links (Host)	Par (Yards): 36-36—72 (6,816)
	Spyglass Hill Golf Course	Par (Yards): 36-36—72 (6,960)
	Monterey Peninsula CC, Shore Course	Par (Yards): 34-37—71 (6,958)
Field:	156 professionals/156 amateurs

Format:     72-hole stroke play (54-hole cut to the low 60 pros and 25 pro-am teams)

FedExCup: 500 points to the winner

Purse:        $7,600,000 ($1,368,000)

Defending Champion: Ted Potter Jr.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/attproam

Twitter: @attproam; Hashtag: #attproam

Things to know about the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

• 15 of the top 30 in the FedExCup standings are in the field, led by Matt Kuchar (2) and Cameron Champ (10).
• Ted Potter Jr. bids to become the first repeat winner of the event since Dustin Johnson (2009, 2010).
• Kevin Streelman and Larry Fitzgerald will be back in action seeking to repeat their victory in the Pro-Am portion of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
• The Monterey Peninsula Foundation donated $13.2 million to support local nonprofits in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties during the 2017-18 fiscal year.

This week in FedExCup history

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am has played a significant role in the FedExCup, the PGA TOUR’s season-long competition now in its 13^th year. In the first 12 years of the FedExCup, all AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am champions advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs, with eight of those winners making it to the TOUR Championship in Atlanta (including multiple-winners Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Brandt Snedeker).

A look back at the 2018 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Following a career-low third-round 62, Ted Potter, Jr. shot a 69 in the final round to win the 2018 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am by three strokes over Phil Mickelson, Chez Reavie, Jason Day and Dustin Johnson. Potter’s second PGA TOUR victory came in his 84^th start at the age of 34 years, 3 months,2 days.

Since 2005, there have been just three 1-2 finishes by lefties on TOUR, with two of the three coming at Pebble Beach:

• Ted Potter, Jr. (won) and Phil Mickelson (T2), 2018 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
• Bubba Watson (won) and Phil Mickelson (2), 2011 Farmers Insurance Open
• Phil Mickelson (won) and Mike Weir (2), 2005 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Kevin Streelman, who finished solo-sixth and four strokes behind Ted Potter, Jr. teamed with Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald to win the team competition by seven strokes. Fitzgerald became the first professional athlete to win the Pro-Am competition since Dan Marino in 1988.

Final-Round Leaderboard

Ted Potter, Jr.	68-71-62-69—270 (-17)	PB-SH-MP-PB
Phil Mickelson	69-65-72-67—273 (-14)	SH-MP-PB-PB
Chez Reavie	67-72-66-68—273 (-14)	PB-SH-MP-PB
Jason Day	69-65-69-70—273 (-14)	SH-MP-PB-PB
Dustin Johnson	67-64-70-72—273 (-14)	SH-MP-PB-PB

More on Ted Potter’s win at Pebble Beach in 2018

• Potter led the field with 24 birdies, setting a personal-best for most birdies in an event on the PGA TOUR.
• Potter became the seventh lefthander with multiple wins on the PGA TOUR, joining Phil Mickelson (43), Bubba Watson (12), Mike Weir (8), Bob Charles (6), Steve Flesch (4) and Brian Harman (2).
• Potter joined four-time winner Phil Mickelson as the only left-handed AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am winners.
• Potter’s victory came in his fourth start in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Won-2018, MC-2014,T16-2013, MC-2012). En route to the T16 finish in 2013, Potter was T1 through 36 holes.
• The 54-hole leader/co-leader of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am has gone on to win four of the last six times: Ted Potter, Jr. (2018), Jordan Spieth (2017), Jimmy Walker (2014), Brandt Snedeker (2013).
• With his win, Potter extended the stretch of American-born players to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am to 14. The last international winner of the event was Vijay Singh in 2004.
• The last repeat winner of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am was Dustin Johnson (2009-2010).

A quick glance at this year’s field

• Fifteen of the top 30 in the current FedExCup standings, led by second-ranked Matt Kuchar.
• Winners during the 2018-19 season: Matt Kuchar (2), Cameron Champ, Adam Long.
• Ten of the top 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking: Dustin Johnson (3), Tony Finau (11), Jason Day (12), Tommy Fleetwood (14), Patrick Reed (15), Patrick Cantlay (18), Matt Kuchar (20), Jordan Spieth (21), Paul Casey (24), Phil Mickelson (29).
• Past AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am champions: Ted Potter Jr. (2018), Jordan Spieth (2017), Vaughn Taylor (2016), Brandt Snedeker (2013, 2015), Jimmy Walker (2014), Phil Mickelson (1998, 2005, 2007, 2012), D.A. Points (2011), Dustin Johnson (2009, 2010), Davis Love III (2001, 2003), Steve Jones (1988).
• Players with 10 or more PGA TOUR wins: Phil Mickelson (43), Davis Love III (21), Ernie Els (19), Dustin Johnson (19), Jim Furyk (17), Kenny Perry (14), David Duval (13), Adam Scott (13), Jason Day (12), Steve Stricker (12), Jordan Spieth (11).

Additional player notes

• AT&T-sponsored athlete and 2017 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am champion Jordan Spieth returns for his seventh start at the event. In six prior starts in the event, he has finished inside the top 25 each time, highlighted by three top-10s (2014/T4, 2015/T7, 2017/1^st). He finished T22 in 2013, T21 in 2016 and T20 in 2018. Spieth recorded his ninth PGA TOUR victory in his 108^th PGA TOUR start (100^th as a professional on TOUR) at the 2017 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He won at the age of 23 years, six months and 16 days, making him the second-youngest winner of the event (John Cook/2001/23 years, four months). By comparison, Tiger Woods it he third-youngest winner at Pebble Beach, doing so in 2000 at the age of 24 years, one month and seven days.
• Four-time AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am winner Phil Mickelson returns for his 23^rd start, most recently finishing T2 in 2018. In addition to four wins, has two runner-up and two third-place finishes at the event.

• Tony Finau will make his second start at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (T23 in 2017).
• Jason Day will return for his 10^th appearance at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He has seven top-15 finishes in nine prior starts, most recently finishing T2 in 2018 and T5 in 2017.
• Two-time AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am winner Dustin Johnson owns eight top-10 finishes in 11 starts at the event (T7-2008, Won-2009, Won-2010, T5-2012, T2-2014, T4-2015, 3-2017, T2-2018).
• Ho Sung Choi makes his PGA TOUR debut at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am after winning four times internationally, including twice each on the Japan Golf Tour and the Korean Tour.

The Celebrities

• Tom Dreesen                     Comedian
• Larry Fitzgerald                 Professional Football – Arizona Cardinals
• Colt Ford                              Musician
• Andy Garcia                        Actor
• Chris Harrison                    The Bachelor/Bachelorette host
• Toby Keith                           Musician
• Thomas Keller                    Celebrity Chef
• Greg Kinnear                      Actor
• Larry the Cable Guy         Actor
• Huey Lewis                         Musician – Huey Lewis & the News
• Pat Monahan                     Musician – Train
• Michael Pena                     Actor
• Chris O’Donnell                 Actor
• Jake Owen                          Musician
• Alfonso Ribeiro                 Actor – Host of America’s Funniest Home Videos
• Aaron Rodgers                  Professional Football – Green Bay Packers
• Ray Romano                       Actor
• Tony Romo                         Former NFL Quarterback, current CBS announcer
• Joe Don Rooney               Musician – Rascal Flatts
• Darius Rucker                    Musician
• Matt Ryan                           Professional Football – Atlanta Falcons
• Kelly Slater                          Professional Surfer
• Clay Walker                        Musician
• Adrian Young                     Musician

Worth noting

• When Dustin Johnson won the 2009 and 2010 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am titles, he became the first player in 20 years to win the event in consecutive years. The others: Sam Snead (1937, 1938); Cary Middlecoff (1955, 1956); Jack Nicklaus (1972, 1973); Tom Watson (1977, 1978); Mark O’Meara (1989, 1990).
• 2013 and 2015 champion Brandt Snedeker holds the two-lowest 72-hole scores: 22-under 265/2015, 20- under 267/2013.
• Nine winners (eight players) of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am held at least a share of the lead for all four rounds (in 72-hole events) – Dustin Johnson (2010), Phil Mickelson (2005 and 2007), Tom Shaw (1971), Bert Yancey (1970), Lloyd Mangrum (1953), Jimmy Demaret (1952), Lloyd Mangrum (1948) and Ed Oliver (1940).
• Six players since 1970 earned their first win at this event: John Cook (1981), Steve Jones (1988), Brett Ogle (1993), Matt Gogel (2002), Arron Oberholser (2006), D.A. Points (2011).

Significant changes for PGA TOUR in 2018-19

1. The new schedule – with an improved flow, from start-to-finish, will allow fans to better follow and engage in the PGA TOUR all season long. THE PLAYERS move to March and the PGA Championship move to May has created a “Season of Championships” — with six straight months of significant events starting with THE PLAYERS, bookended by the FedExCup Playoffs in August.
2. The FedExCup Playoffs – which have been reduced from four to three events beginning this season and will conclude before Labor Day, allowing the TOUR to compete to own the August sports calendar – will feature fields of 125 for THE NORTHERN TRUST, 70 for the BMW Championship and 30 for the TOUR Championship, where the FedExCup Champion will be determined.
3. A simplified, strokes-based scoring system at the TOUR Championship that crowns a singular champion. Instead of a points reset at the TOUR Championship, the TOUR is instituting a strokes-based system related to the FedExCup standings through the BMW Championship. The scoring system virtually replicates the win probabilities of the current system but uses strokes instead of points – which is much easier for golf fans, and the casual sports fan, to understand. The leader through the first two FedExCup Playoffs events will begin the TOUR Championship at 10-under par. The next four players will start at -8 through -5, respectively. The next five will begin at -4, regressing by one stroke per five players until players 26-30 start at even par. With the implementation of this change, the player with the lowest total score including FedExCup Starting Strokes will be the FedExCup champion and be credited with an official victory in the TOUR Championship. Two constants will the drama and the crowning of a deserving champion seen over the first 12 years of the FedExCup. Using this year’s scoring at the 2018 TOUR Championship, Justin Rose – thanks to a birdie on the 72^nd hole — would have captured the FedExCup by a single shot over Tiger Woods, Billy Horschel and Dustin Johnson.
4. A $10 million Wyndham Rewards-sponsored bonus – the Wyndham Rewards Top 10 — where players will be rewarded for their outstanding play during the Regular Season, prior to the start of the FedExCup Playoffs. The top Regular Season finisher in FedExCup points through the Wyndham Championship will earn $2 million, followed by $1.5 million for the runner-up with the 10^th-place finisher earning $500,000. Dustin Johnson led last year’s FedExCup standings through the Wyndham Championship, just 83 points ahead of Justin Thomas.
5. Including the Wyndham Rewards Top 10, there will be a doubling of FedExCup total bonus money available to players, from $35 million to $70 million.

Aon Risk Reward Challenge

The season-long Aon Risk Reward Challenge will highlight the world’s best professional golfers as they tackle the most challenging holes across both the PGA TOUR and LPGA. The PGA TOUR and LPGA player on top of the Aon leaderboard at the end of the regular season will each receive a $1 million prize. The scoring system, identical on both the PGA TOUR and LPGA, is intuitive and produces a compelling risk/reward narrative throughout the season. Players will take their best two scores from each Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole, with the winners having the best average score to par at the end of the regular season. Players must play a minimum of 40 rounds throughout the season. The Challenge runs across regular season tournaments (36 PGA TOUR; 29 LPGA). To view the leaderboard and for more information about the Aon Risk Reward Challenge visit: https://www.pgatour.com/aon-risk-reward- challenge.html.

This week’s Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole is the par-5 18^th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links. With water running parallel on the entire left side of the hole, a tee shot that favors the left side of the fairway provides the best strategic advantage when deciding on laying up or going for the green in two. Finding the fairway is vital if a player is wanting to hit the green in two shots. Since 2014, 95% of players who have hit the green in two have played their second shot from the fairway (80 of 84).

• Since 2014, 43% of players have gone for the green in two shots.
• Since 2014, 17% of the players who have gone for the green have hit the green in two shots.
• Since 2014, 50% of players going for the green make birdie or better.

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am Preview is via PGA TOUR