PEBBLE BEACH – An enhanced purse, as well as being chosen by the PGA Tour as a “Signature Event” has created a buzz and some uncertainly about the world-renowned event now into its eighth decade on the Monterey Peninsula.
This year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am will be stacked with the top 50 golfers on the tour, including the world’s No. 1 golfer in Scottie Scheffler competing along with reigning FedEx champion Viktor Hovland.
Yet, the new format is coming with a price as a piece of this glorified and historic event will be noticeably absent with the celebrity field having been cut to a handful of athletes from other sports.
Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked golfer, will lead a star-studded field at this year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
“It will look and feel different,” said Steve John, the tournament director and CEO of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation. “But the field is remarkable. We have the best golfers from last year on the PGA Tour here. That’s never happened. If you’re a golf fan, this is it.”
The tradeoff for elevating the tournament was reducing the field of celebrities to a few household-name athletes for just two days – at Spyglass Hill and Pebble Beach golf courses – with the amateur field disappearing on Saturday.
The Crosby Clambake, as it was known when it debuted in 1937 (moving to the Monterey Peninsula in 1947), has always witnessed huge galleries in the past, particularly on Saturday, when fans would crowd the hallowed grounds to star gaze.
It was Hollywood for a weekend in Pebble Beach, where mortals could rub elbows with some of the biggest stars from various entertainment venues and the sports world.
That’s gone. At least on the weekend.
There will be a handful of former and current athletes on Thursday and Friday such as Tom Brady, Buster Posey, along with Bills quarterback Josh Allen to whet the appetite of celebrity seekers for just 36 holes.
Reportedly, ticket sales jumped in the off-season when the changes were announced, as well as the field of talented PGA golfers committing to the event.
“We survey the ticket holders each year,” John said. “Often the question raised is why aren’t the best players here? Now when someone asks who is playing, the question becomes who isn’t?”
Of course, no question doubling the purse to $20 million with no cut, helped lure some of the PGA’s elite players to Pebble Beach.
“You put a purse of $20 million on the table, increased the FedEX points and you’re holding the event in Pebble Beach, that’s a pretty good incentive,” John said.
No question the tournament has struggled in recent years to attract an elite field of PGA golfers to the event – as just 21 of the top 100 in the World Golf Rankings played last year.
Some of that can be attributed to the LIV Tour, which has stripped the PGA of some of the top golfers in the world, with its bigger purses.
Yet, the complaint in the past from the pros – outside of the often-drizzly weather that tends to accompany the event in February and will likely be a factor this weekend, was the distraction that the amateur field often brought with it.
I get it. Bill Murray is throwing someone in a bunker while a pair of pros are trying to focus on a putt.
The event was created, though, just for these moments. Actors, rock stars, country music sensations and pro athletes from other sports posing for pictures, signing autographs, creating a fun-filled day.
A field of 156 has been reduced to 80, with two players paired together. And just Spyglass Hill and Pebble Beach are being used instead of the traditional three courses over three days, with Pebble Beach hosting the final 36 holes over the weekend.
Change creates challenges and anxiety. The event is now for the golf purist. And that’s fine. But it wasn’t like attendance was dwindling. Or the charitable organizations were suffering.
The popularity of the event over the past eight decades seemed to revolve around the celebrities. Perhaps the weekend will create a different vibe.
“Change is never easy,” John said. “You’ve had 77 years of the same thing. I’m sure people will be disappointed. But this is a really positive change to have the best PGA players coming to Pebble Beach.”
Sky suites, which bordered the iconic 18th hole in the past, have been replaced by more bleachers designed to seat what tournament hosts anticipate being more spectators – golf hungry fans.
If you are a celebrity gawker, you can still catch a glimpse of Brady, Allen or Aaron Rodgers on Thursday and Friday on two different venues, as well as Posey, a San Francisco Giant legend.
Recently inducted NBA Hall of Famer Pau Gasol will be visible with his 7-foot frame sending balls 200-plus yards down the fairways at Spyglass and Pebble Beach.
“You still get to watch the athletes from other sports play on Thursday and Friday,” John said. “When you reduce a field in half, there are only a certain number of spots.”
Still, it’s going to feel weird not seeing actors or musicians strolling the fairways – and even more odd when no celebrities are competing on Saturday, arguably the biggest attendance day.
The objective in all this was to make the tournament one of eight PGA signature events among the 47 held throughout the year – luring some of the top golfers on the circuit to Pebble Beach.
It worked.
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“Without AT&T shouldering the lift from $9.3 to $20 million, it doesn’t happen,” John said. “Our 39-year partnership is the longest on the tour. It’s a statement, an incredible partnership.”
I still, though, can’t stop thinking it was already a signature event for its Pro-Am format. It just didn’t attract a star-studded field of pro golfers – until now.
Then again, up until this year, was that the priority? Perhaps for some. Sure you want players like Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and defending tournament champion Justin Rose bringing their game to the Peninsula.
Who doesn’t want an elite field playing on one of the more challenging courses on the tour? But the celebrities – minus Tiger Woods in his prime – have always been the main attraction.
Of course, like all things in life, you move on. Time will tell if the changes were for the better. I’m sure adjustments will be made as we move forward.
No one has a crystal ball. I’m not sure you need one to see the changes have already made an impact on the event – at least from a PGA and charitable perspective.
“My passion is being a philanthropist,” John said. “We’re staying the course of what Bing (Crosby) started … Clint (Eastwood) took the baton. We’ve given $120 million in charitable contributions throughout Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties in the last 10 years. It’s not going away. The new model will create a larger footprint.”
I’m not sure Crosby would have completely approved of the massive changes, although the expected $18 million in charitable contributions from the event this weekend would have put a big smile on his face.
