Earlier this week, tournament director Steve Worthy of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, the group which runs the AT&T Pro-Am, stated that the current listed field of 156 pros is probably what we'll see.
"There's still two or three guys who we are thinking could commit. There could also be some withdrawals and there's still until Friday, but it's very, very close to being set," Worthy said.
As it stands, three players in the Top 10 of the World Golf Rankings are in: No. 2 Phil Mickelson, No. 5 Jim Furyk and No. 7 Padraig Harrington. Out of players ranked No.30 or better, 10 are in including No. 14 Sergio Garcia, No. 19 Retief Goosen and No. 26 Vijay Singh.
Other notables in the field include AT&T Pro-Am rookies Rickie Fowler and Jamie Lovemark, 2010 tour winners Ryan Palmer (Sony Open) and Bill Haas (Bob Hope Classic), 2009 Callaway Pebble Beach Invitational winner Mark Brooks and defending champ Dustin Johnson.
There's also five-time AT&T winner Mark O'Meara, 2010 Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin and two-time winner Davis Love III.
Looking back, in the months leading up to the tournament, the prevailing thought was that more of the top-tier pros would want to play in the AT&T in order to take an early peek at Pebble Beach Golf Links, host of the 2010 U.S. Open. In a schedule twist,
The expected entry of many other of the world's top players didn't materialize, however, due in part to schedules (some prospective players such as Rory McIlroy are in Dubai this week) and possibly the fact that Pebble Beach in February doesn't play anything like Pebble Beach in June.
Regardless, the players that are here next week will get somewhat of a mini-Open preview.
While the new tees on holes No.9, No.10 and No.13 at Pebble Beach will not be used, as defending AT&T Pro-Am champ Dustin Johnson noted, "We can still get a look at the lines off of them."
Another Open opportunity is that the AT&T will allow players to get some extra practice on and looks at an area that one can never see enough or practice on — Pebble's greens.
For others, meanwhile, the AT&T will provide players who are not familiar with the area to get more acclimated.
Of course, there's the history too. Each of the winners of the four previous U.S. Opens at Pebble (Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tom Kite and Tiger Woods) played in the AT&T Pro-Am the same year they later won the Open, Nicklaus and Woods making it a double-double.
Pebble's Fairways
Both the pros and amateurs competing in the AT&T Pro-Am will see tighter fairways than normal when playing at Pebble Beach.
That's because as of this past November, in preparation for this year's U.S. Open, all of Pebble's fairways were re-contoured to specific widths and locations as defined by the USGA. As a result, the fairways at Pebble have been narrowed to an average width of 27 yards, down 13 yards from the average 40 yard width under normal AT&T Pro-Am set-up.
On all of Pebble's holes that border the coastline, meanwhile, including the 'Cliffs of Doom' (holes No.8, 9 and 10), the fairways have been "pushed" towards the Pacific Ocean to bring the danger of the ocean into play.
As for the effect of the tighter fairways, it shouldn't bother the pros that much for now. High handicap amateurs, on the other hand, may feel as if they're already playing in the Open.
Sponsor's Exemptions
Earlier this week, six players were granted sponsor's exemptions into the Pro-Am.
The list included Jamie Lovemark, two-time Ryder Cupper Chris Dimarco, 2008 U.S. Open runner-up Rocco Mediate, Tim Herron, 2009 Ben Hogan Award winner Kyle Stanley of Clemson University and Sam Saunders, another Clemson standout who won the Florida High School State Championship as a junior and is the grandson of Arnold Palmer.
Caddie Cup
Last week, local caddies from Del Monte Forest did something that PGA Tour pros can only dream of: play in a tournament that includes Cypress Point Club in the rotation.
As if that wasn't enough, the local loopers also got in rounds at Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and The Links at Spanish Bay.
It was all part of what some would call the greatest four-course tournament in the world — the Caddie Cup.
Having celebrated its 19th anniversary, the Cup was co-founded by former Pebble Beach caddie "Double" Dave Harold and former Pebble Beach Co. tournament director Ducky O'Toole as a way to celebrate those who carry the bags.
In the Cup, each team is comprised of four caddies from each course. The group competes over four days in two best-ball foursomes of stroke play, with low net and gross scores being the ticket to local bragging rights.
Winning the team title was Pebble Beach with a four-day score of 31-under 545. Finishing tied for second were Spyglass Hill and Spanish Bay at 564, with Cypress Point coming in at 565. Members of the winning Pebble team included 1999 U.S. Amateur participant Steve Carter, California Golf Hall of Famer Casey Boyns, Richard Bates and Marco Jimenez.
"It's just really fun," Boyns said. "It brings all the guys together. We're all caddies at heart. It's really special."
Youth Expo
The annual Payne Stewart Youth Golf Exhibition, a free event (Pebble Beach gate fee is waived) in conjunction with AT&T week, is this Saturday from 2p.m.-3:30 p.m. on the Pebble Beach driving range. The exhibition will feature The Dennis Walters Golf Show, an inspirational golf demonstration for all ages.
AT&T On the Air
Soccer star and tournament amateur Brandi Chastain and Monterey Peninsula Foundation president and CEO Ollie Nutt will appear on Thursday's (Feb.4) 'Chronicle Live' show from Comcast SportsNet Bay Area's downtown S.F. studios. Chastain, who'll be playing in her second Pro-Am, and Nutt will be interviewed about this year's tournament by host Greg Papa. The program airs live at 5 p.m. and re-airs at 11 p.m.
CGWA Banquet
The annual California Golf Writers Association awards banquet will be held Tuesday (6 p.m.) of AT&T week at The Inn at Spanish Bay. Those to be honored include former Quail Lodge instructor Janet Coles (Hall of Fame), Nick Watney (Outstanding Achievement Award), Paul Goydos (Jack Lemmon Ambassador of Golf Award) and current Quail Lodge instructor Ben Doyle. Fee to attend is $185. For more info, please call 831-375-1747.
TaylorMade Tourney
In warming up for the AT&T, Pebble Beach as usual is hosting the Taylormade Tournament this weekend. The private tourney, which runs through Sunday and is also played at Spyglass, features lesser-known professionals and their amateur partners.
As for notable pros, one is Dusty Schmidt. Now 28, it was Schmidt who as a youth was being called California's next Tiger Woods. His rising golf game stopped in its tracks, however, when at the age of 23 he had a heart attack. Facing huge medical bills and unable to compete (he was the money leader on the Golden State Tour), Schmidt put his last $1,000 down on online poker.
Today, he's one of the world's leading money leaders in online poker, but that hasn't stopped his passion for golf. The TaylorMade marks his return as a pro.
Herald correspondent Jerry Stewart can be reached at 384-7916 or at jerry_stewart@sbcglobal.net.
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