Pebble Beach Pro-Am Preview: Picks, Key Stats & Players to Watch

After an electric finish in Phoenix this past Sunday, the PGA tour heads to California for the first signature event of the season. Scottie Scheffler remains the overwhelming favorite to win while we have access to the best field of the season thus far. 

 

Pebble Beach Golf Links

Par: 72

Yardage: 6,989

Greens: Poa annua 

 

Spyglass Hill Golf Course

Par: 72

Yardage: 7,021

Greens: Poa annua

 

Key Stats 

Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Putting

Strokes Gained: Around the Green

 

We have another course rotation spot – with golfers playing Pebble Beach Golf Links in three of four rounds and Spyglass Hill in the other. Both of these courses set up similarly, both are on the easier side and both are less than driver tracks. Golfers used driver under 60% of the time last season despite Rory McIlroy taking home the victory. It’s pretty clear though, this is a second shot course with small greens. Good approach shots and putting are what’s most needed. 

 

Russell Henley 

 

Henley will be a popular pick this week, and for good reason. He’s placed T20 in 10 straight PGA Tour starts and finished 5th here a year ago. He’s perfectly set up for success at Pebble being one of the best wedge players in the world and excelling at coastal courses. He’s often underrated, but I fully expect to see his name at the top of the board this weekend. 

 

Viktor Hovland 

 

Picking Viktor Hovland at a course where short game is important seems odd, but I love how his game looks after his first start of the season last week. He also won the US Amateur at this course in 2018 and it feels like Hovland is primed for a big season on the PGA Tour. Everything in his bag has been getting better over the last year at the expense of his driver but that’s okay at this course. He seems like he feels confident right now, and that’s most important. 

 

Justin Rose 

 

Rose has already won once this season, and he just hit number three in the world an insane 26 years after making his professional golf debut. This is the best version of him we’ve ever seen and he sets up perfectly for Pebble Beach – plus he has won here prior. He’s always been a fast starter so I like looking at him for props purposes in round one.