The PGA Tour continues in the Golden State this week with another multi-course event with the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Monterey Peninsula Country Club & Spyglass Hill Golf Club, Pebble Beach, California.
The 156 field with the top 60 including ties making it to Sunday's final round will all be competing for a share of the $9M prize purse with the winner collecting the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am title & a winner’s cheque for a cool $1.6M.
Tom Hoge returns to defend the maiden title he won here last year when seeing off Jordan Spieth with two shots to spare. His winning scorecard read 268 -19.
Before I continue I just want to say how glad I will be to see the back of these tournaments covered over dual or multi courses. It’s difficult at the best of times to single out the winner at any golf tournament but even trickier at these events.
I’ve yet to pick an outright winner in January since it all began two years ago but to be fair I’ve always more than made up for it as the year goes on. We have had some each-way success already this year and the SuperBanker Nap remains unbeaten in 2023 with 3/3 while the Naps also remain reliable & on that note let’s see if we can win the lottery this week at Pebble Beach.
Pebble Beach will be playing 6,972 yards long this week(par72) with Spyglass Hill playing 7,041 (par72) & Monterey Peninsula 6,957 yards. (par71).
The weather forecasts cloudy conditions with scattered showers throughout with breezes peaking at around 14mph.
This event will be screened on Sky Sports Golf with live coverage starting at 4.30 pm on Thursday afternoon.
So let’s try and narrow down some likely winners for this week's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Tom Hoge 22/1 Betfred 1-5
For my first and main selection across the three venues I’m going to suggest the defending champion Tom Hoge 22/1 Betfred 1-5 places but who is also available at 16/1 1-10 places Ladbrokes.
The 33-year-old from North Carolina won his maiden and only PGA title here in 2022 but his consistent form has seen him rise to No29 in the world rankings. He started the year with a 3rd place finish at the Sentry Tournament of Champions but some of his performances from 2022 are outstanding. He had eleven Top 20 finishes with the best of those being the victory mentioned above, runner-up also at The American Express, 4th 3M Open,4th Shriners Children’s Open,5th Tour Championship and finally 9th at The USPGA Championship.
Course management is very important especially at these events with longer than normal rounds to negotiate with the Pro-Am aspect so who better to rely on than a player who has done it all before?
I’m counting on Tom Hoge to get our 2023 up and running with our first outright winner of the year when he defends his AT&T Pebble Beach crown to the delight of us all here at MFT and also my many followers on Twitter @TheCaddy18.
Seamus Power 22/1 EW 1-8 places SkyBet
For my next best selection I’m going to single out Seamus Power 22/1 EW 1-8 places SkyBet.
The 35-year-old Irishman from Waterford did the business for both us and him in 2022 when scooping the Bermuda Championship advised at 25/1 and it could be more of the same this weekend.
It’s hard to believe that Seamus only has two victories on the PGA Tour, the other being the Barbasol Championship in 2021 but that could all change this weekend when he bags the hat trick.
In the two events entered this year on the PGA & DP World Tours, he has finished no worse than 25th so it’s fair to say it’s been a good start.
However, his performances at the tail end of last year are remarkable. The victory at the Bermuda Championship was followed up by 3rd at the Worldwide Technology Championship at Mayakoba then 5th place at the RSM Classic. The Irishman also has a very respectable record at majors in 2022. T27th at The Masters, T9th at The USPGA Championship and 12th at The US Open. Seamus finished 9th at this event last year so clearly enjoys this format. It could be the luck of the Irish in The Golden State this coming Sunday evening as Seamus Powers (pardon the pun)his way to victory in California to claim the hat trick of Ws.
Matt Fitzpatrick 10/1 EW 1-8 places Paddy Power
For my final outright betting tip on the PGA Tour this week I’m going to advise Matt Fitzpatrick 10/1 EW 1-8 places Paddy Power.
The 28-year-old Englishman from Sheffield is simply a class act and is another who tasted success for both us and him last year when winning his breakthrough PGA title in style when bagging the first major of his career at The Country Club with a well-deserved US Open title advised at 30/1.
It was his only victory last year but he was knocking on the door on so many other occasions notably runner-up at both the Wells Fargo Championship and the Italian Open, 5th at the FedEx St Jude Championship, 5th at the DP World Tour Championship, 6th at the Genesis Scottish Open and finally 5th at The USPGA Championship, oh 21st at the 150th Open Championship at the home of golf wasn’t too shabby either.
Currently ranked the 10th best player on the planet, Fitzy could make his class shine at this showman’s event when he conquers America once again scooping the Pebble Beach title this weekend.
So all thats left now is the match bet Nap that was ever so kind to us yet again last weekend, we landed both the PGA SuperBanker Nap & also the DPWT match bet Nap so let’s continue the great form with Andrew Putman to see off Matt Kuchar over 72 holes 4/5 Bet365.
- Tom Hoge 22/1 Betfred 1-5
- Seamus Power 22/1 EW 1-8 places SkyBet
- Matt Fitzpatrick 10/1 EW 1-8 places Paddy Power
- Andrew Putman to beat Matt Kuchar over 72 holes 4/5 Bet365
