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Preview of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Pebble Beach: a hell, a royal battle and a great tournament (oh, even if it’s without cut)

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Rory McIlroy. © Golffile | Fran Caffrey
Rory McIlroy. © Golffile | Fran Caffrey

Tomorrow kicks off the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the second Signature Event of the 2024 PGA Tour season. Or in other words: a prize pool of 20 million, a reduced roster of 80 players, a tournament without a cut and with the presence of nine top ten players in the world (only Jon Rahm is missing, who debuts from Friday in LIV Golf) and 23 players who are top 25 in the world. In fact, of the 80 participants, 69 are included in the top 100 worldwide. Unbeatable, no matter how you look at it. It’s a shame there’s no cut, but these are the unfortunate paths that top-level golf takes.

The tournament is played in Pro-Am format only during the first two days, in which all participants play a round at Pebble Beach and another at Spyglass Hill. Then, on Saturday and Sunday, only the pros play at Pebble Beach. Although they might also play on Monday…

That’s right, because right now, in those parts of the Californian coast, at the foot of the Pacific, on the Monterey Peninsula, it is not ruled out at all that the tournament could end on Monday. Quite the opposite. And it’s because of the weather forecasts, which announce a little hell. To start with, it will be cold every day, especially in the early morning hours, with lows around six degrees and highs that do not exceed 14. In addition, on Thursday there is a possibility of suspension due to an electrical storm and the chances of rain are more than notable for a good part of the four rounds. As a climax, a hurricane Sunday is predicted, with constant winds of about 40 kilometres per hour or higher and gusts around 75 kilometres per hour that could cause the suspension of play. Well, that’s why the option to finish on Monday is more than reasonable.

There is another second ‘storm’ at this great event. The fight for the Number One in the world is open again. It is the first time that Scottie Scheffler, the current Number One, and Rory McIlroy, Number 2, are going to face each other since the last Ryder Cup, although in reality they did not face each other directly in any match. It is of course their first ‘face to face’ in 2024 and, as Rory already has two great performances in Dubai (a second place and a victory) in his bag, there are real possibilities that the Northern Irishman will regain the world throne.

There are several assumptions under which this situation could occur, but let’s stick with these two main lines, which certainly reveal that McIlroy is not going to have it easy. On the one hand, if Rory wins the tournament he will be Number One in the world, no matter what Scheffler does. On the other hand, the worst result that McIlroy can afford to maintain some option is a third position tied with two more players, in which case, in addition, Scheffler should finish beyond the 60th place to give up the throne.

Rory goes out to play on Thursday alongside Ludvig Aberg and their respective amateur companions at 17.45 (Spanish peninsular time) from the 10th tee of Spyglass Hill; Scheffler will do so alongside Justin Rose under the same conditions: he goes out at 18.09, only twenty-five minutes later, from the same tee and on the same course, hole 10 of Spyglass Hill.

It is worth noting the participation of Pau Gasol among the illustrious amateurs of the event, who will play alongside Emiliano Grillo. But there is another presence that is even more striking, that of Nick Dunlap, the 20-year-old from Alabama who won the American Express as an amateur two weeks ago and has already made the leap to professionalism. He plays alongside a certain Xander Schauffele and it remains to be seen if he is able to appear among the best again. Certainly, on Tuesday he did, as he went out to play the practice round alongside Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns. There is no doubt, he is in fashion and on the crest of the wave. It would be big words to see him up there, on the last day, even being all aware that this kid is called to make history.

Check here the live results of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am