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Horse Racing AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Tips: 126.00 Expert Pick For This Weekend’s Action
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Tips: Thursday, February 1st
Pebble Beach Golf Links is once again the host venue for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Our betting expert Duncan Campbell has prepared his AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am tips for the 2024 edition of this tournament.
- Selection: Kurt Kitayama EW (1/4 1-5)
- Best Odds: 126.00 (bet365)
- Stakes: 1/10
Odds via bet365 as at 22.55 January 29th 2024. Odds may now differ.
In this article:
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Overview
Thursday, 1st February, 12:00 (UK)
It is very much a case of same same, but different on the PGA Tour this week as the PGA Tour returns to one of its oldest stops.
Usually a full field event featuring 156 players and amateur pro-am partners, this year’s iteration has been granted Signature event status. That means only 80 players have the chance to lift the trophy at one of golf’s most iconic venues.
The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is normally played over three courses, with players and amateurs playing 18 holes over the courses at Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula. However, the elevation to Signature event this year means that Monterey Peninsula is dropped from the rotation and amateurs will depart after the first two rounds, leaving the professionals to battle it out for the $20m purse.
Three rounds will be played at Pebble Beach, a course that needs very little introduction. A links like test situated by the ocean, it can often be affected by the wind. Hitting the notoriously small greens is more important than gaining an advantage off the tee.
The majority of the holes at Spyglass Hill are inland and tree lined but the first five holes are located by the ocean. Both courses will play to a par of 72, with Spyglass a fraction over 7,000 yards and Pebble Beach a fraction under 7,000 yards.
The weather looks like it will play its part in determining the winner, just as it did in this event last year. Heavy rain is forecast on Wednesday, which will continue into Thursday. Lighter rain showers are forecast throughout the event and I’m certainly looking for players who play well in poor weather when making my AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am tips.
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Tips
Shock winners on the PGA Tour have been a staple throughout the month of January but that run could be under threat as we move into February and the second of the Tour’s Signature events gets underway.
This would, however, be the Signature event most susceptible to an outsider prevailing. Elevation to Signature event aside, this has been an event that many of the stars of the PGA Tour have skipped. Inclement weather and 5+ hour rounds with amateurs has often resulted in many of the biggest names avoiding this event.
The weather could certainly be a leveller this week and backing the front of the market comes with plenty of uncertainty. Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler contend for favouritism but neither makes any appeal at single figure odds given the weather and their course records. There have been a few surprise winners of this event over the years and there is value to be had further down the betting.
Event form and proven ability to perform in poor weather are two of the factors weighing heavily in my selections this week. Thirteen of the past fourteen winners of this event had posted a top 16 finish here prior to winning. This is one of the courses on the PGA Tour where course experience counts for plenty.
Kurt Kitayama is one man who ticks the course form box and is a proven poor weather performer. Whilst he doesn’t quite have a top 16 finish from his three starts in this event, he does have finishes of 18th and 29th. The 31 year old should be plenty comfortable at Pebble Beach given that he grew up in California.
Not only does Kitayama tick the course form box but his recent form also offers plenty of encouragement. Two starts in 2024 have yielded two top 30 finishes. Perhaps even more encouraging is the fact he ranks 11th for SG:Approach this year out of those who have played four or more rounds.
Kitayama is a past winner of one of these signature events, having won the Arnold Palmer Invitational last year. This field is not dissimilar and Kitayama offers genuine winning upside. Odds of 126.00 are available with bet365 and Kitayama is my AT&T Pebble Beach tip of the week.
Aside from the bet on Kitayama in the outright market, the other price that caught my eye was the 2.50 on offer with bet365 for there to be no hole in one this week. Normally a 156 man field, this event has only seen a hole in one in six of the last ten years. Given that this week’s field is almost the half the size of years gone by, the number of opportunities to record an ace will be significantly reduced. Of course, it only takes one great shot to lose the bet but it’s a fun play to add this week.
- Selection: Kurt Kitayama EW (1/4 1-5)
- Best Odds: 126.00 (bet365)
- Stakes: 1/10
Odds via bet365 as at 22.55 January 29th 2024. Odds may now differ.
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