PEBBLE BEACH – Having Super Bowl LX just a few miles up the road in Santa Clara as a precursor has created a little extra boost leading into next weekend’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. So has the addition of Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end and fiancé of Taylor Swift.
Tickets sales are up from this point last year as the 79th annual tournament on the Monterey Peninsula begins on Feb. 12, with 79 of the top 80 golfers on the PGA Tour committed.
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“We have already seen interest from people attending the Super Bowl that want to extend their vacation a few more days on the Monterey Peninsula,” said AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Tournament Director and Monterey Peninsula Foundation CEO Steve John. “We don’t mind following the Super Bowl. We may have some fun people showing up to watch.”
It hasn’t been confirmed whether Swift will be one of those in attendance.
The one-time celebrity-crazed event that had fans flocking to Pebble Beach for nearly eight decades has become a signature event on the PGA Tour — one of eight, with just pros on the weekend, with a purse of $20 million.
While the drastic change in direction two years ago left celebrity-starved fans feeling a little left out, the tournament has benefited in terms of charitable contributions, as well as becoming a high-profile event on the PGA Tour.
“We had one model for 70 plus years,” John said. “It was a dramatic change. It takes time to educate the crowd, galleries. But if you are a golf fanatic, you’re in heaven with this lineup.”
Instead of a field of 156 pro golfers mixed in with amateurs and celebrities, the event has been pared down to 80 – with only PGA golfers competing on Saturday and Sunday.
The only golfer among the Top 80 on the tour who won’t be playing is Justin Thomas, who recently had back surgery. Defending champion Rory McIlroy heads the field, as he’ll attempt to become the first player to repeat since Dustin Johnson in 2009-2010.
“Maybe this year we’ll see a little more of that golf fan,” John said. “Or maybe, it will be next year. It takes time. Eventually, fans will come around – that this is full-blown golf, with the best players in the world.”
There is still a small amateur field, which will include Kelce, former 49ers quarterbacks Alex Smith and Steve Young, along with Laker Hall of Famer Pau Gasol.
But the amateurs only play on Thursday and Friday, alternating from Pebble Beach to Spyglass Hill. The final two days of the event will feature all 80 pros at Pebble Beach, as there are no cuts.
In an effort to provide the fan with a better overall experience, there are some changes being implemented this week for the ticket holder, as a golf simulator will be set up at the Triangle Plaza on the course between holes 6, 8 and 14.
The Foresight First Tee Monterey County Fan Zone will be free for anyone with a general admission ticket, where fans can compete for prizes.
“We wanted to focus on the fan experience,” John said. “So we dedicated two brand new areas. It’s a golf simulator, where fans can play a hole at Pebble Beach.”
Three times a day, Thursday through Sunday, the fan who hits the ball closest to the hole in the simulator will win a Bushnell Range Finder.
In addition, the “Apres at the Hay” fan experience is open to all fans Friday and Saturday from 2:30-5:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. Fans can compete in putting competitions with TaylorMade clubs for tournament ticket prizes.
No question the quality of golf has risen a level or two since the changes were adopted in 2024, as the top players on the PGA Tour are no longer bypassing the tournament by using weather or celebrities as an excuse.
“It’s a different makeup of professionals in terms of comparing it to a U.S. Open,” John said. “But you’re getting high-quality golf like a U.S. Open.”
The U.S. Open will return for the seventh time to Pebble Beach, June 17-20, 2027.
While PGA golfers will begin arriving on Monday, all practice rounds are closed to the public. There are no charity-type events leading up to Thursday’s opening round.
No longer using three golf courses for the tournament – as had been a tradition for seven decades — only Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill are used on Thursday and Friday, with the final two days at Pebble Beach.
Other high end tournaments such as the PGA Tour American Express and the Farmers Insurance at Torrey Pines use multiple golf courses.
“Monterey Peninsula Country Club was a fantastic third course,” John said. “But these are two of the best in the world. These guys play on 38 different courses during the season. They are so focused. It’s just a tee of green and a little white ball.”
Having toured both courses earlier in the week, John marveled at how both Pebble Beach and Spyglass looked, as the rain in early January, followed by three weeks of dryness, had them in pristine condition.
“The courses are in perfect shape,” John said. “The conditions probably have never been better. It’s the best conditions I have ever seen. We’re in an environment where a little rain and a little sunshine and everything pops.”
Weather is not expected to be a factor early in the tournament for the Crosby Clambake, although rain is on the radar for Sunday’s final round. The addition of the fan experiences has created a different vibe for John.
“I think the focus on the fan has got me excited,” John said. “The tournament has always been fan-friendly. Now that we don’t have celebrities, we needed to provide the general admission ticket holder something exciting.”
Picking up over $18 million in charitable contributions last year put the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am over $250 million, the largest contributions among any tournament on the PGA tour.
“It just keeps getting bigger and bigger each year,” said John, who has been the foundation CEO for 15 years. “I love what I do. I’ve got a great staff. We are something bigger than just golf.”
The tournament runs from a little before 9 a.m. until about 4 p.m. Feb. 12-15. Portions will be televised by the Golf Channel and CBS. For tickets and more information, visit www.attpbgolf.com.