Historic Timeline

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1920

December 1926

Del Monte hosts the 1926 Monterey Peninsula Open on Pebble Beach Golf Links, putting up a $5,000 purse and attracting most of the top golfers—professionals and amateurs—in the country. Harry “Light Horse” Cooper of Texas wins with a 72-hole score of 293, five over par. Photography by Julian P. Graham

September 1929

Pebble Beach hosts its first “Major”: the U.S. Amateur. Field favorite Bobby Jones ties for medalist honors but loses his first 18-hole match. Minnesota’s Jimmy Johnston beats the field with a 4 & 3 win in the final 36-hole match against Oscar Willing. Photography by Julian P. Graham

1930

August 1935

In the heart of the Depression, Pebble Beach Golf Links hosts the California State Open after a long hiatus. Pebble Beach head professional Cam Puget wins the event on his home course, pocketing the $300 first place money. Pebble Beach hosts the event again in 1936 and 1948. Photography by Julian P. Graham

1940

September 1940

The USGA returns to Pebble Beach for the 1940 U.S. Women’s Amateur, which is won by defending champion Betty Jameson. The USGA also schedules the 1942 U.S. Men’s Amateur for Pebble Beach Golf Links, but it is canceled due to World War II. Photography by Julian P. Graham

January 1947

The Bing Crosby National Pro-Am golf tournament is played for the first time at Pebble Beach (after being played for six years at Rancho Santa Fe before World War II). Photography by Julian P. Graham

September 1947

The U.S. Amateur returns to Pebble Beach and is won by Skee Riegel. Photography by Julian P. Graham

September 1948

The U.S. Women’s Amateur returns to Pebble Beach. It is won by Grace Lenczyk. Photography by Julian P. Graham

1950

April 1950

Among the first of the tournaments of the newly formed LPGA is the Weathervane Transcontinental Women’s Open, which is won by Babe Zaharias at Pebble Beach in 1950. It returns in 1951 and is won by Patty Berg. Photography by Julian P. Graham

January 1958

For the first time, television covers the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am. Bing Crosby hosts the broadcast of the final round live from the 18th green. Photography by Julian P. Graham

1960

September 1961

Pebble Beach again hosts the U.S. Amateur, attracting one of the top international showings to date, as it follows just weeks after the Walker Cup is held in Seattle. Jack Nicklaus sees Pebble Beach Golf Links for the first time and decides he likes it—defeating Dudley Wysong 8 & 6 in the final match. Photography by Julian P. Graham

1970

June 1972

Pebble Beach Golf Links hosts its first U.S. Open golf championship. After defeating Johnny Miller in the 1972 Crosby, Jack Nicklaus returns to Pebble Beach and wins the U.S. Open by 3 strokes with a 2-over par 290.

August 1977

The Company hosts its first PGA Championship tournament. Lanny Wadkins wins on the third hole of sudden death.

1980

June 1982

The U.S. Open is held at Pebble Beach Golf Links for the second time. It features the battle between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus and the most talked about shot in golf. Watson needs birdie to win but completely misses the 17th green. To accomplish his mission, he sinks his legendary chip shot. He also birdies 18 and defeats Nicklaus by two strokes with a 6-under par 282.

January 1986

The Crosby Clambake becomes the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament.

The NCGA opens Poppy Hills Golf Course.

November 1988

The 2nd Annual Nabisco Golf Championships—which in 1991 became The Tour Championship—brings the top 30 golfers to Pebble Beach. A rain-delayed final round ends with Curtis Strange and Tom Kite tied; Strange wins on the second playoff hole and becomes the first golfer to win more than $1,000,000 (lifetime) on the PGA TOUR.

1990

June 1992

Pebble Beach Resorts hosts the U.S. Open for the third time. Under brutal winds, Tom Kite shoots an incredible par round and wins his first major with a 3-under 285.

1997 – 1998

Pebble Beach Company constructs the new 5th hole of Pebble Beach Golf Links, as designed by Jack Nicklaus. It opens for use in November, during the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational.

August 1999

The 99th U.S. Amateur Championship becomes the ninth USGA championship held on Pebble Beach Golf Links and the first to also use Spyglass Hill for the medal-qualifying rounds. In the final, Tennessee’s David Gossett defeats South Korea’s Sung Yoon Kim 9 and 8.

2000

June 2000

The U.S. Open returns for the 100th playing of the championship. Tiger Woods captures the trophy, besting his nearest competitor by 15 strokes and tying the lowest 72-hole score ever in the national championship.

2001

Golf Digest ranks Pebble Beach Golf Links as the No. 1 Golf Course in America—the first time a public course has been so honored.

2010

June 2010

The U.S. Open Championship returns for the fifth time to Pebble Beach Golf Links. A number of course enhancements—all under the direction of legendary Arnold Palmer—are completed to strengthen player appreciation, heighten the challenge and exceed guest and championship expectations.

It is an amazing week and quite a celebration at Pebble Beach Resorts. Congratulations to Graeme McDowell, the 2010 U.S. Open Champion.

In a championship where a score of par is the most meaningful, the 30-year-old McDowell posts an even-par 284 for the 72 holes to become the first European winner since England’s Tony Jacklin in 1970.

2018

In 2018, the U.S. Amateur returned to Pebble Beach, where Norwegian Viktor Hovland claimed victory.

Pebble Beach previously hosted the U.S. Amateur in 1929, 1947, 1961 and 1999, and the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 1940 and 1948.

2019

Pebble Beach Golf Links and the USGA again celebrate a centennial together, when the U.S. Open Championship returns for the sixth time.

Gary Woodland executes exquisite shot-making down the stretch on Sunday to hold off two-time defending champion Brooks Koepka and win his first Major.

2020

2023 U.S. Women’s Open Championship

Pebble Beach hosts its first-ever U.S. Women’s Open Championship. Allisen Corpuz shot a 3-under, 69, the final day pulling away from the rest of the field to secure not only her first win on the LPGA tour, but also her first major Championship.