Pebble Beach preview: Signature status brings back top talent

The popular Pro-Am format still exists, but there are plenty of changes to this week's Pebble Beach event on the PGA TOUR.

The historic tournament was elevated to a signature event, resulting in the field being chopped down to 80 players. The celebrity amateurs will still be part of the proceedings, but they will see action on only two days of play instead of the usual three, meaning just two courses are needed for the rotation. Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill will be in use for the opening two rounds before the historic oceanside course hosts rounds 3 and 4 on its own.

The stars - both in the golfing world and outside - will be in attendance, with the picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean providing a perfect backdrop for one of the best events on the TOUR this year.

When: Feb. 1-4
Where: Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Club, Pebble Beach, California

How to watch (All times ET)

Last year's result

Justin Rose returned to the winner's circle on the PGA TOUR for the first time in four years with a marathon victory that finished on Monday morning. The Englishman held a two-stroke lead while standing in the 10th fairway when darkness halted play on Sunday evening, and he showed no interest in a dramatic finish on Monday. Rose made three birdies over his closing nine holes to secure the comfortable victory over Brendon Todd and Denny McCarthy.

Recent winners

2023: Justin Rose
2022: Tom Hoge
2021: Daniel Berger
2020: Nick Taylor
2019: Phil Mickelson
2018: Ted Potter Jr.
2017: Jordan Spieth
2016: Vaughn Taylor

Featured/marquee groups

Group: Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg
Round 1 - 11:45 a.m. (Spyglass Hill)
Round 2 - 12:45 p.m. (Pebble Beach)

Group: Scottie Scheffler, Justin Rose
Round 1 - 12:09 p.m. (Spyglass Hill)
Round 2 - 1:09 p.m. (Pebble Beach)

Group: Viktor Hovland, Patrick Cantlay
Round 1 - 12:21 p.m. (Spyglass Hill)
Round 2 - 1:21 p.m. (Pebble Beach)

Group: Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth
Round 1 - 12:57 p.m. (Spyglass Hill)
Round 2 - 11:57 a.m. (Pebble Beach)

Group: Collin Morikawa, Tony Finau
Round 1 - 12:57 p.m. (Pebble Beach)
Round 2 - 11:57 a.m. (Spyglass Hill)

Group: Xander Schauffele, Nick Dunlap
Round 1 - 1:21 p.m. (Pebble Beach)
Round 2 - 12:21 p.m. (Spyglass Hill)

Reasons to watch

Signature event props up Pebble

The level of competition at Pebble Beach suffered drastically the past few years, with fewer top players putting the historic stop on their schedule. While the iconic layout and Pro-Am format still brought plenty of eyeballs, it was obvious by the leaderboard that things were lacking. That won't be the case in 2024 with the addition of the event to the signature series on TOUR bringing a blockbuster field. Nine of the top-10 players in the world will be there, with Jon Rahm the only one missing out as he makes his LIV Golf debut in Mexico.

Rory's back, Scottie debuts

The top two players in the world, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, are among those who left the event off their schedule in recent years. Scheffler played Pebble Beach in the 2019 U.S. Open but has never teed it up in the Pro-Am event in February. McIlroy hasn't played the tournament since 2018 but did post a top-10 finish in the 2019 U.S. Open. While Scheffler hasn't played since The Sentry in Hawaii, McIlroy comes in fresh off his victory in Dubai two weeks ago. He can take the World No. 1 spot away from Scheffler depending on how the pair finish.

Dunlap enters the pro ranks

Two weeks ago, Nick Dunlap was making history in California as the first amateur to win on the PGA TOUR in over 30 years. Last week, the Alabama star was back on campus in Tuscaloosa to announce he was turning professional and joining the TOUR. Now, he's back in the Golden State, hoping that his form as a professional matches what he displayed as an amateur. Dunlap's victory secured him access to the rest of the signature events this year on the PLAYERS Championship and the PGA Championship. He lost his exemption to the Open Championship in July by turning professional but can regain a spot if he rises to the top 50 in the OWGR. He's already at No. 68, so don't be shocked if he accomplishes that feat well in advance.

Betting odds

Rory McIlroy +775
Scottie Scheffler +775
Viktor Hovland +1,200
Xander Schauffele +1,500
Jordan Spieth +1,700
Max Homa +1,700
Patrick Cantlay +1,900
Collin Morikawa +2,000
Justin Thomas +2,500
Ludvig Aberg +2,800
Matthew Fitzpatrick +3,500
Sungjae Im +3,500
Tommy Fleetwood +3,500
Tony Finau +3,500
Byeong Hun An +4,000
Cameron Young +4,000
Sam Burns +4,000
J.T. Poston +4,500
Nicolai Hojgaard +4,500
Jason Day +5,000

Odds via theScore Bet