Get excited golf fans! The west coast swing enters golf’s hallowed ground this week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Johnny Miller, who retired from broadcasting last week at the WMPO, once said about Pebble, “It’s the greatest meeting of land and sea in the world.” High praise from a local No. Cal boy. Crafted along the amazing coastline of 17 Mile Drive, Pebble is known for iconic U.S. Open moments like Nicklaus’s 1-iron in 1972, Watson’s chip in 1982, and Tiger’s 15 shot victory in 2000. This week is a bit more relaxed, considering the line up of 3 different courses, plus a large celebrity field. Odds are that Bill Murray will get just as much airtime on Saturday as the leaders, so he’s got that going for him…which is nice (Google the reference if you don’t know it). Winning scores on Sunday hover between 17 and 20 under par so there are lots of birdies. For those not making any on the course, just stare out into the ocean and count the seagulls.
Gregatron’s Pick of the Week: Tommy Fleetwood
With hair flowing, and his Beatle-like smile, hard not to be a fan of Mr. Fleetwood. We’re a long way from Britain, so he’s clearly looking for a few practice rounds at Pebble before the U.S. Open returns in June. He’s never played here, but his record at U.S. Open courses is undoubtedly strong finishing 4th and 2nd the last two years. Wind can be a factor along the coastal holes, and Fleetwood’s gritty low-balls will keep him in play. I like his chances, just going off a hunch. Let’s see if I can make it two in a row (heh heh).
Back to the Range Bro: Cameron Champ
Champ is having a great season, no doubt about that, but you can start to see the strain of playing week in and week out. He’s playing on progressively harder courses and trying to balance the grind of travel. His last three events? T-73, CUT, T-67. Pebble might be a more relaxed atmosphere on the course, but there are a ton of commitments outside of golf. He’ll need to dig deep to keep in the hunt, or take the weekend off and recharge.