PGA Tour Tips: Europeans can dominate the Pebble Beach Pro-Am

A number of leading European golfers are dusting themselves off after a busy run in the Middle East, which provides the perfect opportunity for other Ryder Cup hopefuls to step forward.

Most of the big guns are bypassing the Pebble Beach Pro-Am to prepare for next week’s WM Phoenix Open - the second of 16 designated events with $20 million up for grabs - yet this tournament remains one of the most prestigious in the game.

Jordan Spieth, who won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in 2017 and finished second behind Tom Hoge last year, is favourite to recapture his crown and record his 14th PGA Tour win. But I prefer the claims of several Europeans, including current US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick and Ireland’s Seamus Power, on the west coast.

Fitzpatrick finished sixth in this tournament last year courtesy of four rounds in the sixties around Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula’s Shore Course. The world number 10 shook the winter rust off his game when tied-seventh in the Sentry Tournament of Champions four weeks ago, and he’s got the tools to do some damage with his new-found length and brilliant putting.

Meanwhile, 28th-ranked Power looks like a good bet to improve on last year’s joint-ninth finish. The powerful Irishman is pushing hard for a place on Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team and, despite a slightly below par January in terms of results, he has had time to get his game in shape.

Power didn’t putt well in the Middle East last week, but he will have fond memories of last year’s event, where he opened with a round of 64 at Spyglass Hill and added another eight-under 64 at Pebble Beach to set a 36-hole scoring record for this event. He eventually slipped from first to seventh with a three-over 75 at Monterey Peninsula preceding a 72 on Sunday to finish six shots behind Hoge.

Nevertheless, Power went onto have the best season of his career to date, which included a second PGA Tour victory at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship last October, and competed in three of the four majors in his debut year.

Another golfer due a big week is Viktor Hovland. After skipping his defence of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, he will be looking to improve on his tied-38th finish in his lone appearance at Pebble Beach in 2020.

He went into the final round just outside the top 10 but closed with a 77 to undo much of his excellent work that year. Nevertheless, the Norwegian is not afraid of the wind and showed enough class en route to a tied-18th performance in the Sentry Tournament of Champions to suggest he will be a contender.

Finally, add Belgian Thomas Detry to your portfolio. Despite making his debut in this event, he looks a better bet than his current odds suggest given the strength of his putting and power from the tee.

Pebble Beach Pro-Am Tips

Matt Fitzpatrick @ 12
Viktor Hovland @ 14
Seamus Power @ 23
Thomas Detry @ 54