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Pebble Beach: Weather – 1, Golfers – 0, On to Day 2

By Elizabeth Bethel

February 9, 2017; Pebble Beach, CA, USA; Peter Barker (far left) and Ryan Armour (second from left) walk on the sixth fairway during the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
February 9, 2017; Pebble Beach, CA, USA; Peter Barker (far left) and Ryan Armour (second from left) walk on the sixth fairway during the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Howling wind and driving rain at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am -Thursday brought classic “Crosby weather.”

Pebble Beach is living up to its February reputation. This really isn’t the best month to hold a golf tournament on the Monterey Peninsula links.

Blank spots punctuate the Pebble Beach leaderboard. Tour rookies Rick Lamb, Seung-Yul Noh, and Joel Dahmen managed to finish their 1st rounds and claim the clubhouse lead of -4. Drawing early tee times at Spyglass Hill, the most protected of the three venues, Lamb, Noh and Dhamen managed to avoid the worst of the battering wind and driving rain that took center stage at Pebble Beach on Thursday.

"At first I didn’t think it was great I had to wake up at 4:15 today, so we were a little groggy this morning. But by the time we got going, it was good. I think we teed off before the sun actually rose. – Rick Lamb"

Others weren’t so fortunate. More than half the field at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am have to get back out there today and wrap it up. First round play resumes at 10:30am ET.

Related Story: Fun & Games in Bad Weather at Pebble Beach

Still, the fans didn’t let the weather slow them down. They did what fans do at the A&A Pebble Beach Pro-Am. They went celebrity-hunting. There were plenty of celebs to see.

Very Tough Conditions

Playing in foursomes players endured the rain and navigated soggy Poa annua greens. Predictably, the dreaded but unavoidable footprints challenged. But real golfers double down and find a way to do more than just survive.

"[Thursday] was just a test of patience. You’ve got to hit fairways and try to hit greens and just know that you’re going to hit some good putts that may wiggle out. But every now and then, you may get one to bounce in for you. – Sam Saunders"

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Pebble Beach delivered classic “Crosby weather” on Thursday. Jordan Spieth, missing 4 putts on the Monterey Peninsula Country Club Shore Course, worried about his hat staying put on his head.

Dustin Johnson, arguably the most powerful driver of the ball on the PGA Tour, battled with his umbrella in the 4-club wind. Johnson used a 3-iron to send his ball a measly 190 yards. That’s typically a 7-iron shot for DJ.

Phil Mickelson managed to card seven birdies but also two double bogeys on the Shore Course. Ireland’s Shane Lowry knows about wind: “We wouldn’t play golf on some days like this.” Danny Lee, at +5 through 12 holes, followed Lowry’s suggestion and withdrew.

Next: Pebble Beach Pro-Am Power Rankings

The rain and the wind will ease up for today’s hard work on the Pebble Beach links, and for those who survive, the sun may make an appearance on Saturday.

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