Strong line-up at Pebble Beach

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2007 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am | Preview | 07 Feb 2007

The USPGA Tour returns to the West Coast from Arizona for this week’s AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro Am where the famed Pebble Beach is the host course to this time honoured event.

First played in 1951 when won by Byron Nelson, the tournament has become part of US golfing folklore, not only because of the long list of quality winners of the event but also because the pro-am format which brings together so many of the great names from sports and entertainment.

With three courses in play before the cut on Saturday evening, the field is increased to 180 this week. Because of the size of the opening field and because several players take a break here after an early season rush, opportunities become available for those who have not been able to get early starts, to make progress in season 2007.

The tournament is played over three different courses in the opening three rounds before the event returns to the host course, the renowned Pebble Beach, for the final round on Sunday. Spyglass Hill, Poppy Hills and Pebble Beach see each member of the field and their pro am partners play one round at each before the cut on Saturday evening.

Pebble Beach Golf Links was designed and laid out during the First World War and opened 1919. Its designers, Douglas Grant and Jack Neville, were California State champions but not qualified designers. The original construction cost was a touch over US$100,000 and it wasn’t until 1991 that further reconstruction work was carried out by Jack Nicklaus and Ed Conner. The original developer was Samuel Morse, a descendant of the great inventor

Spyglass Hills was opened in 1967 and designed by Robert Trent Jones Snr, while Poppy Hills was opened in 1986 and was the work of Robert Trent Jones Jr.

This year’s field boasts five players from the world top ten making it one of the strongest fields at Pebble Beach in several years. Tiger Woods has not played the event since 2002 and will not be in the field again this year but Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington give the tournament world ranking strength at least.

The defending champion would have been Arron Oberholser but for an injury he incurred recently. Oberholser and Mike Weir had taken a six shot lead into the final day last year but Oberholser was left on his own when Weir all but self destructed before the turn on the final day. Oberholser ended up a five shot winner over Rory Sabbatini.

The favourite therefore is likely to be Vijay Singh who has shown enough in early season form to suggest he is up for this. His brilliant last round of 64 at the FBR Open has him primed for his second victory of the season and he will return to Pebble Beach with great memories of his birdie, eagle, finish last year to finish 7th after starting the last day in 33rd place. Aside from his win in 2004, Singh has been a regular top ten finisher in the event and things point to another good finish in 2007.

Jim Furyk deserves respect because he is the number two player in the world and because he has occasionally played well in the event. He has not played since the Sony where he finished fourth three weeks ago and that may be the only concern against the more tournament hardened players here.

Luke Donald is now well and truly ensconced inside the top ten in the world, a place he is destined to hold for a long time to come. When it is considered that he has finished inside the top ten in all but one of his last ten starts, then he is in the sort of form that might see him move even further up the ranking this week from his current 8th place. Donald has had three solid finishes in this event in the last three years culminating in a 7th place finish last year.

Phil Mickelson has won the event twice and recorded a couple of other top fives but the concern for Mickelson and his fans is that his form at present is very ordinary. It will take a significant turnaround for him to win this week.

Mike Weir has a great record in this event without winning. Six top tens in his last seven starts in the event and four consecutive top fives in his last four starts suggest he likes these golf courses and is comfortable with the Pro-Am format. He has made the cut in each of his only two starts this season which is better form than he displayed at a similar time last year and it would not surprise to see him challenging again.

Davis Love has a good record in the AT&T winning it twice and although he has not done a lot to date in 2007 he might do well this week. His first up 4th place at the Mercedes and his last round 65 in Scottsdale last week are perhaps a better guide to his current form.

Brandt Snedeker has quickly settled into the PGA Tour and his third placing behind Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines two weeks ago suggest he enjoys the style of golf courses he will again be presented with this week. He has not played previously in this event.

Nick Watney just keeps getting better and the brilliant amateur golfer now seems to be realising the huge potential he displayed in college golf. He was 7th in this event last year and his recent form has been encouraging. He might be an interesting bet at longer odds.

Last week’s winner, Aaron Baddeley, will need to cope with the letdown factor and that his back will be sore from the amount of people that have slapped it this week. Now that he has his putting back however it might be that he will do a lot better then when he played here of the only time in 2004 and missed the cut by many.

Brett Quigley seems to be returning to the form that saw him have by far his best season on the PGA Tour in 2006. He is yet to win on the PGA Tour and often teases but this might be a good chance. He has occasionally done well in this event.

A young golfer destined for big things in the game and a man getting a start on invite this week as he did when 23rd in Scottsdale is Alejandro Canizares. The son of the former Ryder Cup player, Jose Maria Canizares, has performed well in his limited professional career since turning professional last year and while it may be a bit much to expect him to contend this week he is one to watch. He won the Russian Open in just his third event as a professional. He played collegiate golf successfully in the US.

The Australasians, aside from Baddeley, are headed by Mark Hensby, who appears to be playing a little better of late, Mathew Goggin, Steve Elkington, Paul Gow, Gavin Coles, Steve Bowditch, Steve Allan, Paul Sheehan and Phil Tataurangi.

The tournament has prizemoney of US$5.5 million.

Photo – Anthony Powter