AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Preview, Picks & Analysis

Post by Sports Writer Derek Clements

IT TAKES a special kind of golfer to do well at the AT&T - winning it even more so. The reason? Rounds that can take almost six hours as the games of so-called celebrities are brought to their knees by Pebble Beach. Throw in the antics of the likes of Bill Murray and you have a recipe that would try the patience of a saint.

So if you are looking for a winner, you need to find somebody who has that patience or somebody who doesn't have an awful lot between the ears. Dustin Johnson has won it twice - we leave you to make up your own minds about which category he slots into.

The event is played over three courses - Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula - which means the cut comes after 54 holes. Murray won the amateur prize in partnership with DA Points in 2011 and JP McManus and Padraig Harrington took it the following year. Dear old Jack Lemmon was a mad keen amateur who spent most of his life trying to make the cut.

For the most part, the "celebrities" are ultra-wealthy CEOs, millionaires and retired business owners, with the odd Clint Eastwood, Kenny G, Michael Douglas, Andy Garcia and Dan Marino thrown in for good measure.

Those who make the cut come back to Pebble Beach on the Sunday for the final round. It is one of the most beautiful golf courses on the planet, but if you are trying to focus on winning the tournament, do you really need the likes of Murray clowning around in your group? Probably not!

Johnson made his long awaited return at Torrey Pines last week and, unsurprisingly, missed the cut. He hit the ball well enough (and was easily the biggest hitter in the field) but was clearly rusty. He loves Pebble Beach, and should have won the US Open there in 2010, but blew up in the final round and allowed Graeme McDowell to take the title.

There were sufficient signs at Torrey Pines to indicate that the Dustinator may not take terribly long to find his way back into the winners' circle. This tournament may come too soon for him, but don't be surprised to see him in the mix.

It was won last year by Jimmy Walker, who has made a sensational start to the new season. With a win and a runner-up finish to his credit by the time he arrived at Torrey Pines, he found himself right in the mix again. Nobody on the PGA Tour is playing better and I regard him as a certain odds-on bet.

This tournament is a difficult one to call but if I must pick a potential winner (and I do), then it is the aforementioned Mr Walker, who is one of the most underrated players on tour. Every part of his game is solid and he has the sort of swing that can never go wrong. A proven winner, and a man blessed with patience, Walker is my tip to pick up yet another trophy.

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Betting Picks

Jimmy Walker 8/1 Late developer who just keeps getting better and would love to successfully defend this title

Each way

Patrick Reed 25/1 I love watching this guy play because he simply hates to lose

JB Holmes 40/1 Fit and healthy and bombing it miles. He is a good wind player, which you have to be at Pebble Beach

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Fantasy picks

Patrick Reed 25/1 May lose patience with the amateurs, but if he doesn't...

Dustin Johnson 14/1 You can't ignore a course specialist of Johnson's quality

Jimmy Walker 8/1 I fancy Jimbo to land a major in 2015

Pat Perez 100/1 Explosive temper, but has done well here in the past

Jordan Spieth 14/1 Well, he is always there or thereabouts, isn't he?

JB Holmes 40/1 The fans would love to see him blast his way to victory

Ryan Palmer 25/1 Like Holmes, comfortable in the wind. A class act

Freddie Jacobson 80/1 The Swede is about as laidback as any professional and loves Pebble Beach

Nick Watney 25/1 There are signs that he is getting back to his best

Jason Day 8/1 Mr Consistency keeps piling up the top 10 finishes, and will surely do so again at Pebble

Image Credit - AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Facebook Page