Pebble Beach Golf Links
Encyclopedia
Pebble Beach Golf Links is a golf course
located in Pebble Beach
, California
, on the west coast
of the United States
.
Pebble Beach is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful courses in the world. It hugs the rugged coastline and has wide open views of Carmel Bay, opening to the Pacific Ocean
, on the south side of the Monterey Peninsula
. In 2001 it became the first public course (i.e., open to the general public for play) to be selected as the No.1 Golf Course in America by Golf Digest
. Greens fees are among the highest in the world, at $495 (plus $35 cart fee for non-resort guests) per round in 2008.
Four of the courses in the coastal community of Pebble Beach, including Pebble Beach Golf Links, belong to the Pebble Beach Company, which also operates three hotels and a spa at the resort. The other courses are The Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill Golf Course
, and Del Monte Golf Course.
The course is included in many golf video games, such as the Links
series and the Tiger Woods PGA Tour
series.
It was bought by a consortium of Japanese investors during the upswing of foreign investments in American properties in the early 1990's. The sale, however, generated controversy when it was discovered that one of the investors had alleged ties to organized crime in Japan. It was then bought by another group of Japanese investors before being sold to the Pebble Beach Co. several years later.
of Texas won with a 72-hole score of 293 (+5). In 1929, Pebble hosted its first major - the U.S. Amateur. Then a match-play event, it was won by Harrison R. Johnston of Minnesota but Bobby Jones
tied for medalist honors in stroke play.
Beginning in 1947, Pebble Beach began to be one of the host courses for the Bing Crosby
National Pro-Am tournament, sometimes known as the "Clam Bake", and now known as the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. The tournament is annually played every winter, and is an unusual 4-round tournament. The Sunday round is played at Pebble Beach; the first 3 rounds of pro-am play are contested in round-robin format at Spyglass Hill Golf Course
, Poppy Hills Golf Course
, and Pebble Beach, although in 2010 the tournament was played at Monterey Peninsula Country Club
as well, and Poppy Hills was omitted. In July, the course also hosts the Champions Tour
First Tee Open at Pebble Beach with the Del Monte Golf Course.
Pebble Beach Golf Links has hosted the U.S. Open five times, most recently in 2010. It has an exceptionally distinguished set of Open Champions including Jack Nicklaus
, Tom Watson
, Tom Kite
, and Tiger Woods
. It also was the venue of the 1977 PGA Championship
, won by Lanny Wadkins
in a sudden-death playoff, the first time the format was used in a major championship.
Many other high profile championships have been staged on the course including several U.S. Amateur Championships including the victory by Jack Nicklaus
in 1961. Nicklaus also won the first U.S. Open tournament held on the course in 1972.
The First Tee Open is also another tournament held at Pebble Beach. It is a Champions Tour
event that is held in July
. The tournament is set to be held July 8-10, 2011.
In laying out the course, Jack Neville attempted to bring as many holes to the rocky coastline as possible. The first two holes are inland, the third runs toward the ocean, and the fourth and fifth holes run along the coast. This arrangement allowed Neville to make use of a peninsula which juts straight out into the Pacific Ocean
.
The lower "loop" of the figure 8 layout is formed by holes 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, which brings much of the inward nine inland. Unlike virtually all modern courses, Pebble's 9th and 10th holes do not therefore return to the clubhouse. Holes 14 and 15 are among the most inland on the course, but the 16th hole runs alongside the 3rd hole to complete the figure 8 and bring the dramatic closing holes along the Pacific Coast. These include the long par 3 17th, whose place in golf history was assured when Jack Nicklaus (1972) and Tom Watson (1982) made key shots there to win U.S. Opens
.
There is no agreed upon "signature hole" at Pebble Beach Golf Links, but the most obvious candidate would be 8. Notable holes include the short par 3 7th, which plays to just over 100 yards even during major championships, is one of the most photographed holes in the world. From an elevated tee, players hit straight out toward the Pacific Ocean, with nothing in the background but the often violent Pacific Ocean surf crashing against rocky outcroppings.
The long par 4 8th runs alongside the 6th hole leaving the peninsula and heading back toward the coastline. A dogleg right, the ocean is a constant companion along the entire right side of the hole. The landing area is extremely generous in width, but a long straight drive could leave the fairway and enter an inlet of the sea. Because the landing area is elevated on a cliff above the green, players have a good view of the small landing target a mid to long iron
away. Jack Nicklaus has called this his favorite approach shot in all of golf.
The long par 3 17th is situated on a smaller peninsula to the west of the one that holds the 6-8th holes. Although there is an ocean view and the sea runs along the left side, the primary challenge of the 17th is its length (playing 180-210 yards during championships) and its unusual shaped green. The green is long and thin, tilted about 45 degrees from the angle of the golfer on the tee. Depending upon pin position and wind, a golfer may use a great variety of clubs for the tee shot and, although the green is large in area, the landing area for any approach is relatively small. A large sand trap guards the front and left.
The 18th hole is a medium length par 5 (over 550 yards) with Pacific Ocean all along the left. What may be the greatest closing hole in golf was originally an unremarkable par 4. In 1922, William Herbert Fowler
added almost 200 yards to the hole. This unique hole also features a tree in the middle of the fairway and a long 100+ yard bunker running along the ocean from the green, guarding the left side.
In addition to the lengthening of the 18th, the other most significant change in the course's layout came in 1998. Early in the course's history, a parcel of land along the ocean was sold off, forcing the 5th to run inland to where the tee of 6 now stands. As early as a year after that parcel was sold, the course tried to buy back the land but was unsuccessful until 1995. Jack Nicklaus designed a new par 3 on that land. Although it forces a long walk from the 5th green to the 6th tee, the course finally uses as much ocean real estate as possible, which was Neville's original vision. Recent changes done in 2008 were to holes 3, 6, 9, 10, and 12, which changed the dynamics of play with new bunkers located on each fairway. These additions were integrated for the 2010 U.S. Open, which also modified the 2nd hole to a par 4, which reduced the course to a par 71 for the championship, which was lengthened to 7040 yards (6437 m).
, who captured his 13th major title (of an eventual 18). It was a historically important win, as Nicklaus tied Bobby Jones
with 13 major titles (if Jones' major titles are viewed as his U.S. Open, British Open, U.S. Amateur, and British Amateur titles).
Nicklaus secured the victory with one of the most famous golf shots of all time. Nicklaus came to Pebble's treacherous 17th hole facing deteriorating weather and a brisk wind. He struck a dead perfect 1-iron that struck the flagstick and dropped next to the cup for a tap in birdie.
Already that year Nicklaus had won The Masters, making him the first golfer since Arnold Palmer
in 1960 to win golf's first two major titles of the season. Nicklaus would finish 2nd at the Open Championship, ending his Grand Slam run.
hit his tee shot on 17 into the rough which had been grown very thick as per USGA Open playing conditions. Watson's chip was made all the more difficult because he was above the hole. He would have to strike the chip vigorously to get the clubhead through the rough, but such an aggressive attack would almost surely leave a long comeback putt for par. Indeed, in a live interview, Nicklaus appeared to be confident that when Watson left 17, he would be in the outright lead.
Watson was apparently equally confident that he would maintain the lead. When he and his caddy Bruce Edwards
were discussing the chip Edwards told Tom to get the ball close, Watson said, "Close, hell, I'm going to sink it." The chip bounded down the green, struck the pin, and landed in the cup. Watson bounded after it jubilantly. He would go on to birdie the tricky 18th hole for a two shot win.
In the following winter, a storm caused portions of the 17th green and 18th tee box to fall into the Pacific. These were later rebuilt; but the exact spot from which Watson made his chip shot is no longer there.
at -3, and runner up Jeff Sluman
at -1. Gil Morgan
was 12 under par early in the 3rd round, but then fell back. Kite was consistently one of the best golfers in the 1980s and had had 19 top tens in majors prior to 1992. Perhaps the best player not to win a major in his era, he finally won his lone major in 1992 at Pebble Beach.
bumped Pebble Beach up a couple of years in the rotation to host the last U.S. Open of the millennium. In some respects the Open was even tougher than the 1992 contest with only one player finishing under par - champion Tiger Woods
. Woods scored 65-69-71-67 to tie a U.S. Open record with 272, and set a U.S. Open record by finishing 12 under par. His -12 was a full 15 shots better than the runners-up, the largest margin of victory ever recorded in a major championship.
Just the third major of Woods' career, it was the start of his Tiger Slam, as he would win the following three majors for four in a row.
Graeme McDowell
won the 2010 tournament by one stroke over Grégory Havret
. Ernie Els
finished 3rd, with Tiger Woods
and Phil Mickelson
finishing tied for 4th. In perhaps his last U.S. Open, Tom Watson
, who won at Pebble Beach in 1982, became the second oldest player to make the cut in the championship's history after Sam Snead
and went on to finish tied for 29th.
and endangered species
in this locale.
36.567598°N 121.9406033°W
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
located in Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach, California
Pebble Beach is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, California. It lies at an elevation of 3 feet . Pebble Beach is a small coastal resort destination, home to the famous golf course, Pebble Beach Golf Links....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, on the west coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Pebble Beach is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful courses in the world. It hugs the rugged coastline and has wide open views of Carmel Bay, opening to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, on the south side of the Monterey Peninsula
Monterey Peninsula
The Monterey Peninsula is located on the central California coast and comprises the cities of Monterey, Carmel, and Pacific Grove, and unincorporated areas of Monterey County including the resort and community of Pebble Beach.-Monterey:...
. In 2001 it became the first public course (i.e., open to the general public for play) to be selected as the No.1 Golf Course in America by Golf Digest
Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
. Greens fees are among the highest in the world, at $495 (plus $35 cart fee for non-resort guests) per round in 2008.
Four of the courses in the coastal community of Pebble Beach, including Pebble Beach Golf Links, belong to the Pebble Beach Company, which also operates three hotels and a spa at the resort. The other courses are The Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill Golf Course
Spyglass Hill Golf Course
The Spyglass Hill Golf Course, also known as "the Glass", is a golf course located on the Monterey Peninsula in California, United States. The course is part of the Pebble Beach Company, which also owns the Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Links at Spanish Bay, and the Del Monte Golf Course.Spyglass...
, and Del Monte Golf Course.
The course is included in many golf video games, such as the Links
Links (computer game)
Links was the name of a series of golf simulation computer games, first developed by Access Software, and then later by Microsoft Game Studios after Microsoft acquired Access Software. The line of golf games was a flagship brand for Access, and the series spanned several years: from 1990 to 2003...
series and the Tiger Woods PGA Tour
Tiger Woods PGA Tour
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR is a series of video games developed and published by Electronic Arts featuring professional golfer Tiger Woods, among other pros on the PGA Tour....
series.
History
The course was designed by Jack Neville and Douglas Grant and opened on February 22, 1919. Neville also designed the back nine at Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Course on the other side of the Monterey Peninsula. His objective was to place as many of the holes as possible along the rocky and beautiful Monterey coast line. This was accomplished using a "figure 8" layout.It was bought by a consortium of Japanese investors during the upswing of foreign investments in American properties in the early 1990's. The sale, however, generated controversy when it was discovered that one of the investors had alleged ties to organized crime in Japan. It was then bought by another group of Japanese investors before being sold to the Pebble Beach Co. several years later.
Tournaments
The first professional tournament at Pebble Beach was the Monterey Peninsula Open in 1926, which had a $5,000 purse. Harry "Lighthorse" CooperHarry Cooper (golfer)
Harry E. Cooper was a prominent PGA Tour golfer of the 1920s and 1930s. After he retired from competitive golf, he became a well-regarded instructor, into his 90s....
of Texas won with a 72-hole score of 293 (+5). In 1929, Pebble hosted its first major - the U.S. Amateur. Then a match-play event, it was won by Harrison R. Johnston of Minnesota but Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones (golfer)
Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level...
tied for medalist honors in stroke play.
Beginning in 1947, Pebble Beach began to be one of the host courses for the Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
National Pro-Am tournament, sometimes known as the "Clam Bake", and now known as the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. The tournament is annually played every winter, and is an unusual 4-round tournament. The Sunday round is played at Pebble Beach; the first 3 rounds of pro-am play are contested in round-robin format at Spyglass Hill Golf Course
Spyglass Hill Golf Course
The Spyglass Hill Golf Course, also known as "the Glass", is a golf course located on the Monterey Peninsula in California, United States. The course is part of the Pebble Beach Company, which also owns the Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Links at Spanish Bay, and the Del Monte Golf Course.Spyglass...
, Poppy Hills Golf Course
Poppy Hills Golf Course
The Poppy Hills Golf Course is a golf course in Pebble Beach, California, on the Monterey Peninsula just outside of Monterey, California. It was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and it opened in 1986...
, and Pebble Beach, although in 2010 the tournament was played at Monterey Peninsula Country Club
Monterey Peninsula Country Club
The Monterey Peninsula Country Club is a golf club located in Pebble Beach, California.Seth Raynor designed the Dunes course in 1926, but died before construction was complete. Local Robert Hunter was called in to finish out the construction of the course...
as well, and Poppy Hills was omitted. In July, the course also hosts the Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
First Tee Open at Pebble Beach with the Del Monte Golf Course.
Pebble Beach Golf Links has hosted the U.S. Open five times, most recently in 2010. It has an exceptionally distinguished set of Open Champions including Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
, Tom Watson
Tom Watson (golfer)
Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
, Tom Kite
Tom Kite
Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994....
, and Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
. It also was the venue of the 1977 PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
, won by Lanny Wadkins
Lanny Wadkins
Jerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988....
in a sudden-death playoff, the first time the format was used in a major championship.
Many other high profile championships have been staged on the course including several U.S. Amateur Championships including the victory by Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
in 1961. Nicklaus also won the first U.S. Open tournament held on the course in 1972.
The First Tee Open is also another tournament held at Pebble Beach. It is a Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
event that is held in July
July
July is the seventh month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days. It is, on average, the warmest month in most of the Northern hemisphere and the coldest month in much of the Southern hemisphere...
. The tournament is set to be held July 8-10, 2011.
Layout and signature holes
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
The lower "loop" of the figure 8 layout is formed by holes 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, which brings much of the inward nine inland. Unlike virtually all modern courses, Pebble's 9th and 10th holes do not therefore return to the clubhouse. Holes 14 and 15 are among the most inland on the course, but the 16th hole runs alongside the 3rd hole to complete the figure 8 and bring the dramatic closing holes along the Pacific Coast. These include the long par 3 17th, whose place in golf history was assured when Jack Nicklaus (1972) and Tom Watson (1982) made key shots there to win U.S. Opens
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
.
There is no agreed upon "signature hole" at Pebble Beach Golf Links, but the most obvious candidate would be 8. Notable holes include the short par 3 7th, which plays to just over 100 yards even during major championships, is one of the most photographed holes in the world. From an elevated tee, players hit straight out toward the Pacific Ocean, with nothing in the background but the often violent Pacific Ocean surf crashing against rocky outcroppings.
The long par 4 8th runs alongside the 6th hole leaving the peninsula and heading back toward the coastline. A dogleg right, the ocean is a constant companion along the entire right side of the hole. The landing area is extremely generous in width, but a long straight drive could leave the fairway and enter an inlet of the sea. Because the landing area is elevated on a cliff above the green, players have a good view of the small landing target a mid to long iron
Iron (golf)
An iron is a type of club used in the sport of golf to propel the ball towards the hole. They are so-called because historically the clubhead was generally made from iron. Whilst the vast majority of modern irons are still made from iron, it is almost always its stronger and more durable alloy,...
away. Jack Nicklaus has called this his favorite approach shot in all of golf.
The long par 3 17th is situated on a smaller peninsula to the west of the one that holds the 6-8th holes. Although there is an ocean view and the sea runs along the left side, the primary challenge of the 17th is its length (playing 180-210 yards during championships) and its unusual shaped green. The green is long and thin, tilted about 45 degrees from the angle of the golfer on the tee. Depending upon pin position and wind, a golfer may use a great variety of clubs for the tee shot and, although the green is large in area, the landing area for any approach is relatively small. A large sand trap guards the front and left.
The 18th hole is a medium length par 5 (over 550 yards) with Pacific Ocean all along the left. What may be the greatest closing hole in golf was originally an unremarkable par 4. In 1922, William Herbert Fowler
William Herbert Fowler
William Herbert Fowler , also known as Bill Fowler and Herbert Fowler, was an English amateur cricketer who played 26 first-class cricket matches during the 1880s, principally for Somerset County Cricket Club. He was an all-rounder who was best known for his big-hitting when batting...
added almost 200 yards to the hole. This unique hole also features a tree in the middle of the fairway and a long 100+ yard bunker running along the ocean from the green, guarding the left side.
In addition to the lengthening of the 18th, the other most significant change in the course's layout came in 1998. Early in the course's history, a parcel of land along the ocean was sold off, forcing the 5th to run inland to where the tee of 6 now stands. As early as a year after that parcel was sold, the course tried to buy back the land but was unsuccessful until 1995. Jack Nicklaus designed a new par 3 on that land. Although it forces a long walk from the 5th green to the 6th tee, the course finally uses as much ocean real estate as possible, which was Neville's original vision. Recent changes done in 2008 were to holes 3, 6, 9, 10, and 12, which changed the dynamics of play with new bunkers located on each fairway. These additions were integrated for the 2010 U.S. Open, which also modified the 2nd hole to a par 4, which reduced the course to a par 71 for the championship, which was lengthened to 7040 yards (6437 m).
Scorecard
| Hole 1 | Par 4 | 376 yards | (344 m) | Hole 10 | Par 4 | 430 yards | (393 m) |
| Hole 2 | Par 4 | 502 yards | (459 m) | Hole 11 | Par 4 | 373 yards | (341 m) |
| Hole 3 | Par 4 | 374 yards | (342 m) | Hole 12 | Par 3 | 201 yards | (183 m) |
| Hole 4 | Par 4 | 327 yards | (299 m) | Hole 13 | Par 4 | 393 yards | (359 m) |
| Hole 5 | Par 3 | 187 yards | (170 m) | Hole 14 | Par 5 | 572 yards | (523 m) |
| Hole 6 | Par 5 | 500 yards | (457 m) | Hole 15 | Par 4 | 396 yards | (362 m) |
| Hole 7 | Par 3 | 106 yards | (97 m) | Hole 16 | Par 4 | 401 yards | (366 m) |
| Hole 8 | Par 4 | 416 yards | (380 m) | Hole 17 | Par 3 | 178 yards | (162 m) |
| Hole 9 | Par 4 | 462 yards | (422 m) | Hole 18 | Par 5 | 543 yards | (497 m) |
U.S. Open Championships at Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach has hosted the U.S. Open five times: 1972, 1982, 1992, 2000, and 2010. It is scheduled to host a sixth time in 2019, the centennial of the course.1972
The U.S. Open was first held at Pebble Beach in 1972. The Championship was won by Jack NicklausJack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
, who captured his 13th major title (of an eventual 18). It was a historically important win, as Nicklaus tied Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones (golfer)
Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level...
with 13 major titles (if Jones' major titles are viewed as his U.S. Open, British Open, U.S. Amateur, and British Amateur titles).
Nicklaus secured the victory with one of the most famous golf shots of all time. Nicklaus came to Pebble's treacherous 17th hole facing deteriorating weather and a brisk wind. He struck a dead perfect 1-iron that struck the flagstick and dropped next to the cup for a tap in birdie.
Already that year Nicklaus had won The Masters, making him the first golfer since Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
in 1960 to win golf's first two major titles of the season. Nicklaus would finish 2nd at the Open Championship, ending his Grand Slam run.
1982
Nicklaus was also a key player in the 1982 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Like in 1972, the tournament's 17th hole would also see one of the most memorable golf shots of all time. Nicklaus would make five straight birdies on holes 3 thru 7 and charge into the clubhouse with a share of the lead. Future Hall Of Fame golfer Tom WatsonTom Watson (golfer)
Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
hit his tee shot on 17 into the rough which had been grown very thick as per USGA Open playing conditions. Watson's chip was made all the more difficult because he was above the hole. He would have to strike the chip vigorously to get the clubhead through the rough, but such an aggressive attack would almost surely leave a long comeback putt for par. Indeed, in a live interview, Nicklaus appeared to be confident that when Watson left 17, he would be in the outright lead.
Watson was apparently equally confident that he would maintain the lead. When he and his caddy Bruce Edwards
Bruce Edwards (caddy)
Bruce Edwards was a long-time caddie for Hall of Fame golfer Tom Watson.Edwards began caddying for Watson in 1973 and worked with him until 1989. Edwards left to assist Greg Norman but returned to Watson's side in 1992 and stayed until 2003...
were discussing the chip Edwards told Tom to get the ball close, Watson said, "Close, hell, I'm going to sink it." The chip bounded down the green, struck the pin, and landed in the cup. Watson bounded after it jubilantly. He would go on to birdie the tricky 18th hole for a two shot win.
In the following winter, a storm caused portions of the 17th green and 18th tee box to fall into the Pacific. These were later rebuilt; but the exact spot from which Watson made his chip shot is no longer there.
1992
The 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach was one of the most difficult tournaments ever played at Pebble Beach. Only two players would finish the tournament under par: champion Tom KiteTom Kite
Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994....
at -3, and runner up Jeff Sluman
Jeff Sluman
Jeffrey George Sluman is an American professional golfer who has won numerous professional golf tournaments including six PGA Tour victories.-Early years:...
at -1. Gil Morgan
Gil Morgan
Gilmer Bryan Morgan II, OD is an American professional golfer.Morgan was born in Wewoka, Oklahoma. He graduated from East Central State College in Ada, Oklahoma in 1968. In 1972, Morgan earned a Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee before turning...
was 12 under par early in the 3rd round, but then fell back. Kite was consistently one of the best golfers in the 1980s and had had 19 top tens in majors prior to 1992. Perhaps the best player not to win a major in his era, he finally won his lone major in 1992 at Pebble Beach.
2000
Perhaps looking for a special place to host the 2000 U.S. Open, the USGAUnited States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
bumped Pebble Beach up a couple of years in the rotation to host the last U.S. Open of the millennium. In some respects the Open was even tougher than the 1992 contest with only one player finishing under par - champion Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
. Woods scored 65-69-71-67 to tie a U.S. Open record with 272, and set a U.S. Open record by finishing 12 under par. His -12 was a full 15 shots better than the runners-up, the largest margin of victory ever recorded in a major championship.
Just the third major of Woods' career, it was the start of his Tiger Slam, as he would win the following three majors for four in a row.
2010
Graeme McDowell
Graeme McDowell MBE is a Northern Irish professional golfer.McDowell has won seven events on the European Tour, including the 2010 U.S. Open which was also his first win on the PGA Tour...
won the 2010 tournament by one stroke over Grégory Havret
Gregory Havret
Grégory Havret is a French professional golfer.Havret won the French Amateur Championship three years in a row from 1997 to 1999, and in 1999 he won the European Amateur. He also won a minor professional tournament as an amateur, the 1998 Omnium National.Havret turned professional in 1999 and won...
. Ernie Els
Ernie Els
Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing...
finished 3rd, with Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
and Phil Mickelson
Phil Mickelson
Philip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer. He has won four major championships and a total of 39 events on the PGA Tour. He has reached a career high world ranking of 2nd in multiple years. He is nicknamed "Lefty" for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed...
finishing tied for 4th. In perhaps his last U.S. Open, Tom Watson
Tom Watson (golfer)
Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
, who won at Pebble Beach in 1982, became the second oldest player to make the cut in the championship's history after Sam Snead
Sam Snead
Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
and went on to finish tied for 29th.
Major tournaments hosted
| Year | Tournament | Winner | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
|
| 1977 1977 PGA Championship The 1977 PGA Championship was the 59th PGA Championship played August 11–14 at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California. Lanny Wadkins won the championship in a sudden-death playoff over Gene Littler.-Final leaderboard:... |
PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
Lanny Wadkins Lanny Wadkins Jerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988.... |
|
| 1982 | U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
|
| 1992 | U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
Tom Kite Tom Kite Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994.... |
|
| 2000 | U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
|
| 2010 | U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
Graeme McDowell Graeme McDowell Graeme McDowell MBE is a Northern Irish professional golfer.McDowell has won seven events on the European Tour, including the 2010 U.S. Open which was also his first win on the PGA Tour... |
Controversy over further golf course development
There has been continuing controversy between golfing interests and environmental protection, related to a proposed new golf course development by the Pebble Beach Company. The new golf course proposal has existed in some form since the early 1990s, while the environmental protection issues center on the potential damage to rareRare species
A rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon or scarce. This designation may be applied to either a plant or animal taxon, and may be distinct from the term "endangered" or "threatened species" but not "extinct"....
and endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
in this locale.
External links
- Official site
- Golf Nation: Overhead views of each hole
- How Samuel F.B. Morse built this most felicitous meeting of land and sea on the Monterey Peninsula
36.567598°N 121.9406033°W