The Most Unique Event in Golf Returns
Every professional tour has their own crowned jewel. On the PGA TOUR it could be considered to be in the eye of the beholder. Many will point to the season’s first major in Augusta, some the TOUR’s flagship event THE PLAYERS Championship and those who have enjoyed the spoils of the season ending Tour Championship could make their case for that limited field event. Perhaps we’re biased but a U.S. Open week at Pebble Beach has produced some of the most iconic moments in major championship history.
On the LPGA Tour – and women’s sports in general – there is unprecedented momentum that rolled through the Monterey Peninsula just last summer when the U.S. Women’s Open came to Pebble Beach for the first time (with plenty more ahead).
On the Korn Ferry Tour, the most promising collection of talent in the game travels the globe in pursuit of earning a promotion to the game’s highest level while the PGA TOUR Champions brings together those who have left their stamp on the game already.
But no event brings players from all of these tours together like the TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational has in the closing months of each year for more than half a century. The list of champions and runner-up finishers perfectly illustrates the collection of talent that gathers annualy. Johnny Miller (1983), Mark Calcavecchia (1989) and Juli Inkster (1990) have each hoisted the trophy once in their Hall of Fame careers. Inkster remains the only female to have won the event, this goes along with her win at the California Women’s Amateur Championship held here in 1981. Others from the women’s professional ranks have narrowly missed adding their names to the list of champions alongside Inkster’s. Monterey product Mina Harigae finished in a share of second place in 2018 and Lauren Stephenson posted a solo second result just two years ago.
Other notables with close calls at the Invitational include Sam Burns, who finished runner-up in 2017, Rickie Fowler did the same in 2009 and Annika Sorenstam finished one shot back of Rocco Mediate 10 years earlier. Last year R.J. Manke, the former University of Washington standout pulled away from the field to the tune of 18-under par and a three-shot margin of victory.
Throughout the week players make their way across the property playing Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill, both fixtures on the PGA TOUR schedule in addition to a third round at The Links at Spanish Bay. Once the dust has settled after 54 holes a cut is made and the top players duke it out, just as the legends of the game before them, on famed Pebble Beach Golf Links.
This year’s field draws another eclectic mix of talent with past champions Manke, and Inkster set to compete. Frankie Capan III and Jackson Suber, fresh off stellar campaigns on the Korn Ferry Tour that earned them their PGA TOUR cards will join players like Rachel Kuehn, Maria Fassi, Natalie Gulbis and local favorite Mina Harigae. Gregory Odom Jr. will look to continue his winning ways as he earned his way into the field with a victory at the Cisco Invitational in September.