Only three players out of the top 20 in the world rankings will participate in this week’s PGA Tour AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (total prize money of 9 million dollars) to be held in Pebble Beach near San Francisco, California. Most of the top players chose to take a break to prepare for the ‘special competition’ WM Phoenix Open (total prize money of 20 million dollars) next week, which they are obliged to participate in.
The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a regular event 스포츠토토 on the PGA Tour between pros and amateurs. 156 pros and amateurs each participate and form teams of two to play on different courses for three days, where the professional players and teams that pass the cut determine the winner on the final day. Professional players must finish in the top 60 and teams must finish in the top 25 to advance to the final round.
This competition, which is held on three courses including Pebble Beach GC, one of the most prestigious courses, has a long history since its inception in 1937. Founded as a sponsor by top star singer and actor Bing Crosby (USA) at the time, this tournament has served as a place of communication where professional golfers and celebrities in the sports and entertainment worlds build friendships through golf every year.
This year, the faces of all the participants are splendid. 2022 US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick (10th, England), 11th ranked Viktor Hovlan (Norway), and former world No. 1 Jordan Spieth (16th, USA) appear as professional signboards, but they do not reach the popularity of amateur participants.
Welsh football hero Gareth Bale, who has recently appeared in the PGA Tour’s pro-ams after his recent retirement, Steve Young and Aaron Rodgers, former Super Bowl MVPs, Major League World Series champion Buster Posey, NBA champion Pau Gasol, and NFL Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, etc. step out of this sport.
Including Jason Bateman, the lead actor and film producer of the Netflix series ‘Ozark’, Bill Murray, Scott Eastwood, Chris O’Donnell, Michael Pena, etc. participated in the film industry, and Charles Kelly, Macklemore, Lucas Nelson, Ilenium, School Boy Q, etc. come out of this world of music. Golf fanatic Condoleezza Rice, former US Secretary of State, also participated.
Fitzpatrick, who has the highest world ranking among professional players, is an avid fan of Sheffield United. After a practice round with Bale, a fellow English star, Fitzpatrick introduced an anecdote he met in England several years ago and was deeply moved. After looking at the tee-off times of rounds 1 to 3, Fitzpatrick, who learned that Ozark star Jason Bateman was playing in the back group, said, “I don’t know if he will recognize me,” and said he really wanted to see him.
Among the Korean players, rookie Kim Seong-hyeon, Ahn Byeong-hun, Kang Seong-hun, and Noh Seung-yeol are participating and aiming for high grades. Kim Joo-hyung, Im Seong-jae, Kim Si-woo, and Lee Kyung-hoon are aiming for the WM Phoenix Open next week.