Pebble Beach Pro-Am preview and pick

The PGA Tour's West Coast swing moves up to the Monterey Peninsula this weekend for the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which concludes as usual at Pebble Beach Golf Links. 

Players who make the cut will play two rounds at Pebble, and one each at Monterey Peninsula Country Club and Spyglass Hill Golf Course. 

Monterey is listed at 6,958 yards and reentered the rotation for this tournament in 2010. It has two courses, but for this tournament the Shore Course will be used.

Spyglass, opened in 1966 and designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., is at 6,858 yards. A mainstay among any list of top 100 golf courses in the United States like its more famous neighbors (Pebble and Cypress Point), its best-known hole is probably the fourth, a short par 4 (370 yards) to a long, narrow and hidden green. It represents target golf at its best and is proof that a hole doesn't need to be long to be challenging. 

Pebble hosted its sixth U.S. Open last summer. It has several signature holes, including the 106-yard seventh, arguably the most picturesque hole in golf. Then comes the walk from the eighth tee to the 10th green. For a three-hole stretch, perhaps only Amen Corner at Augusta is as iconic.

Mickelson, Johnson, and Day stand out

Defending champion Phil Mickelson is +2200 to win the tournament and will be aiming for his sixth win in this event. If successful, Lefty will have wins in four different decades. He comes off an excellent showing in Saudi Arabia, where he tied for third. 

Dustin Johnson, like Mickelson, also owns a spectacular record at Pebble Beach, with a pair of wins and a couple seconds. Johnson also had a strong showing in Saudi Arabia, where he placed second. As the +600 favorite, Johnson won't give you much value, but his proven form isn't likely to disappear. 

Jason Day is +1800 and hasn't won this tournament. However, if you wish to wager on a first-time course champion, the Australian is definitely worth a look. In 10 appearances, Day has six top 10 finishes. The Monterey Peninsula area may just be the medicine he needs, since he hasn't won since 2018. His recent tie for 16th in San Diego provides evidence his form may be coming around. 

Mickelson, Johnson and Day are among the world's best on any given day, and since they have such outstanding records in this tournament, I would be playing one of if not all three for some wagers. 

A longshot to consider

A longshot I like for each-way wagers, or perhaps even a win bet is Max Homa, who tied for 10th at Pebble a year ago and enters the tournament off two top 10s in a row--in San Diego and Scottsdale. At +5000 he is worth a shot. 

Golf provides some of the best value in sports wagering. Check out all the betting options at BetAmerica!