Mickelson looks for fourth AT&T title
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2008 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am | Preview | 06 Feb 2008
The AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro Am is next up on the USPGA Tour, the Celebrity Pro-Am format attracting three players from the world’s top ten, although in overall depth, the field lacks a little compared to recent events in season 2008.
The tournament is played over three different courses in the opening three rounds before it returns to the host course, the renowned Pebble Beach, for the final round on Sunday. Each member of the field will play one round at Spyglass Hill, Poppy Hills and Pebble Beach before the cut is made 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 as such. The original construction cost was a touch over US$100,000 and it wasn’t until 1991 that significant 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.
Three time winner and defending champion, Phil Mickelson, heads the list as far as world ranking is concerned and the three time winner and runner up last week in Scottsdale is sure to be in contention come Sunday. He deserves his status as hot favourite this week after blitzing the field last year, winning by five over Kevin Sutherland.
Jim Furyk has now slipped to number six in the world, the result of some mediocre golf of late. However, as a player with the occasional good finish at this event, he deserves consideration although he will need a form turnaround to challenge.
Mike Weir has developed into somewhat of a specialist at Pebble Beach having recorded six top tens in nine starts. While he may not have been at his best in recent starts, his 4th place in Hawaii and his liking for this event give him a pretty good chance.
Other players who must be considered this week are the inform Justin Leonard, Daniel Chopra and Brandt Snedeker.
Of the Australians Steve Elkington plays this week off the back of several very good finishes of late. Earlier in his career, Elkington played this event very well but not so in the last few visits. He seems to have found something with his game that suggests he might just contend again this week to follow his very impressive 4th place in Scottsdale this week.
Jason Day is finding his feet on the PGA Tour, his improved showing last week when 20th at the FBR Open clear evidence of that. In the relaxed nature or pro am golf he might be even more suited and it would not surprise to see him contending this week.
Matt Jones, Michael Sim, Mark Hensby, Andrew Buckle, Mathew Goggin, Brett Rumford, Gavin Coles, David Lutterus and New Zealanders Tim Wilkinson, Phil Tataurangi and Grant Waite make up the balance of the Australasians in the field.
