AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Preview 2018

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Preview 2018

Dates: February 5-11, 2018
Where: Pebble Beach Golf Links (Host) Par (Yards): 36-36—72 (6,816)
Spyglass Hill Golf Course Par (Yards): 36-36—72 (6,953)
Monterey Peninsula CC, Shore Course Par (Yards): 34-37—71 (6,958)
Field: 156
Format: 72-hole stroke play
54-Hole Cut: 60 pros and 25 pro-am teams
FedExCup points: 500 to the winner
Purse: $7,400,000 ($1,332,000)
Defending Champion: Jordan Spieth
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/attproam; Twitter: @attproam; Hashtag: #attproam

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 12th year. In the 11 years of the FedExCup, all AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am champions advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs, with eight of those winners making it all the way to the TOUR Championship in Atlanta (including multiple winners Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Brandt Snedeker).

A look back at the 2017 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

• Following two consecutive 7-under 65s, Jordan Spieth carded a final-round 2-under 70 to win the AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm by four strokes over Kelly Kraft.
• His ninth PGA TOUR victory came in his 108th PGA TOUR start (100th as a professional on TOUR) 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.
• Jordan Spieth and country music artist Jake Owen finished four strokes behind Ken Duke and Carson Daly in the Pro-Am portion in 2017.
• Since 1987, just six champions have also won the Pro-Am portion of the event: 2006-Arron Oberholser, 2007-Phil Mickelson, 2009-Dustin Johnson (T1, 54-hole event), 2011-D.A. Points, 2013-Brandt Snedeker, 2016-Vaughn Taylor.
• In all, it was the 10th time in event history that a player won the individual and pro-am team title in the same year.

Final-Round Leaderboard

• Jordan Spieth 68-65-65-70—268 (-19) MP-SH-PB-P
• Kelly Kraft 69-70-66-67—272 (-15) MP-SH-PB-PB
• Dustin Johnson 70-69-66-68—273 (-14) MP-SH-PB-PB
• Brandt Snedeker 68-69-67-70—274 (-13) MP-SH-PB-PB

Pro-Am Final Leaderboard

• Ken Duke/Carson Daly 33-under
• Kevin Streelman/Larry Fitzgerald 31-under
• Tony Finau/Josh Duhamel 29-under
• Jordan Spieth/Jake Owen 29-under

More on Jordan Spieth’s win at Pebble Beach in 2017

• With is win at the 2017 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Spieth became just the second player to win his ninth PGA TOUR event before the age of 24 (Tiger Woods/1999 Memorial/23 years, five months, seven days).
• Spieth’s 72-hole total of 268 fell three shy of Brandt Snedeker’s tournament record of 265 (2015).
• Spieth enters the 2018 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am seeking his 12th PGA TOUR title. After claiming his ninth title at Pebble Beach in 2017, he later added wins at the Travelers Championship and The Open Championship.
• Spieth’s four-stroke victory fell one shy of the tournament record for largest margin of victory, set by six players and most recently Phil Mickelson in 2007.
• The AT&T sponsored athlete won in his fifth start in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am where he has finished inside the top 25 in every start: Won-2017, T21-2016, T7-2015, T4-2014 and T22-2013.
• With his win, Spieth extended the stretch of American-born players to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am to 13.
• The last international winner of the event was Vijay Singh in 2004.
• Spieth’s six-stroke margin after 54 holes in 2017 was the largest since Phil Mickelson led by seven shots in 2005.
• 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

• 15 of the top 30 in the current FedExCup standings, including six in the top 10: Jon Rahm (2), Pat Perez (4), Gary Woodland (5), Austin Cook (6), Dustin Johnson (7), Jason Day (10).
  • Eight of the 12 different winners on the PGA TOUR in 2017-18: Pat Perez (CIMB Classic), Ryan Armour (Sanderson Farms Championship), Patrick Cantlay (Shriners Hospitals for Children Open), Austin Cook (The RSM Classic), Dustin Johnson (Sentry Tournament of Champions), Jon Rahm (CareerBuilder Challenge), Jason Day (Farmers Insurance Open), Gary Woodland (Waste Management Phoenix Open).
• Five of the top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking led by world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm (2), Jordan Spieth (3), Rory McIlroy (8) and Jason Day (10).
• Seven past AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am champions (13 wins): 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) and Vijay Singh (2004).
• Players with eight or more PGA TOUR wins: Phil Mickelson (42), Vijay Singh (34), Ernie Els (19), Dustin Johnson (17), David Duval (13), Rory McIlroy (13), Adam Scott (13), Jason Day (11), Jordan Spieth (11), Bubba Watson (9), Brandt Snedeker (8).
• 11 major winners including six with multiple major titles: Phil Mickelson (5), Ernie Els (4), Rory McIlroy (4), Vijay Singh (3), Jordan Spieth (3), Bubba Watson (2).

Additional player notes

• 2016 FedExCup champion and 13-time PGA TOUR winner Rory McIlroy will make his first start at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. McIlroy’s last start on TOUR came at the 2017 BMW Championship (T58).
• Gary Woodland, who claimed his third TOUR win last week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open (his first  win since the 2013), finished T5 at the 2017 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He missed the cut in his first two starts at the event (2009, 20110.
• Four-time AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am winner Phil Mickelson will return for his 22nd start, most recently finishing 65th in 2017. The year prior he finished runner-up to Vaughn Taylor.
• Recent Farmers Insurance Open champion Jason Day will return for his ninth appearance at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He has six top-15 finishes in eight starts here, most recently finishing T5 in 2017.
• Two-time AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am winner Dustin Johnson owns seven top-10 finishes in 10 starts at the event (T7-2008, Won-2009, Won-2010, T5-2012, T2-2014, T4-2015, 3-2017). He’s won at least once in each of the last 11 seasons for the TOUR’s best current streak, most recently at Sentry Tournament of Champions.
• A T52 in 2010 marks 13-time TOUR winner Adam Scott’s only other start at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
• Two-time PGA TOUR winner, most recently at the 2018 CareerBuilder Challenge, Jon Rahm returns for his second-career start at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (T5 in 2017).

The Celebrities

• Bret Baier Chief Political Anchor – Fox News Channel
• Carson Daly Host of The Voice & Digital Studio Host of the Today Show
• Tom Dreesen Comedian
• Josh Duhamel Actor
• Larry Fitzgerald Professional Football – Arizona Cardinals
• Colt Ford Musician
• Wayne Gretzky Former Hockey Player
• Chris Harrison The Bachelor/Bachelorette host
• Toby Keith Musicia
•  Thomas Keller Celebrity Chef
• Charles Kelley Musician – Lady Antebellum
• Larry the Cable Guy Actor
• Huey Lewis Musician – Huey Lewis & the News
• Pat Monahan Musician – Train
• Bill Murray Actor
• Chris O’Donnell Actor – Currently starring in NCIS: Los Angeles
• Jake Owen Musician
• Alfonso Ribeiro Actor – Host of America’s Funniest Home Videos
• Aaron Rodgers Professional Football – Green Bay Packers
• Kelly Rohrbach Actress / Model
• Ray Romano Actor
• Tony Romo Former NFL Quarterback, current CBS announcer
• Joe Don Rooney Musician – Rascal Flatts
• Darius Rucker Musician
• Kelly Slater Professional Surfer
• Alex Smith Professional Football – Kansas City Chiefs
• Justin Verlander Professional Baseball – Houston Astros
• Clay Walker 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 scoring records with a 22-under 265 winning total in 2015 and a 72-hole total of 267 in 2013.
• Nine 72-hole winners (eight players) of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am held at least a share of the lead for all four rounds – Dustin Johnson (2010), Phil Mickelson (2005 and 2007), Tom Shaw (1970) 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).

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Preview 2018 via PGA TOUR

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Preview 2018 was first published on GolfBlogger.Com on January 6, 2018