The origin story of golf’s great Class of 2011

HOUSTON - Adam Long was confused when he arrived for the first round of the Vivint Houston Open. Not because he was arriving at a new venue, one that hasn't been used on the PGA TOUR for more than half a century. He was surprised to see spectators for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. "There's people walking around and I was like, ‘What's going on?'" Long said after shooting 68 on Thursday. "Completely forgot. It's nice. It gets you excited a little bit, gets you fired up. It's nice to hear some claps out here when you're fortunate enough to hit a good shot." The Vivint Houston Open is the first PGA TOUR event in the United States to have fans on-site since March. Two thousand tickets were sold for each round of the tournament. Last week, five hundred fans per day were permitted at the Bermuda Championship. "It’s great having fans back out again," Texas native Scottie Scheffler said after shooting 67 on Thursday. "The energy was definitely a lot different than us just being out here by ourselves." The return of spectators is part of a measured approach by the PGA TOUR to re-introduce galleries. The PGA TOUR will work with local authorities each week to determine if spectators can safely attend and determine how many should be allowed on-site. There will be no spectators at the three events remaining on the PGA TOUR schedule this year. "As we work toward gradually permitting ticketed spectators and special guests at PGA TOUR events, we remain committed to health and safety as the No. 1 priority," said Tyler Dennis, the PGA TOUR's Senior Vice President & Chief of Operations. "Every week may look different, as we need to be cognizant of what is reasonable in each market, based on the current COVID-19 climate, local and state protocols and, of course, how the venue is set up to accommodate density guidelines. We appreciate the collaboration with the Bermuda Championship last week and Vivint Houston Open this week in their thoughtful participation in our Return to Spectators plan." Jordan Spieth described the presence of fans with a word that hasn't been uttered often in 2020. "It certainly felt more normal as we were playing today and especially as we were finishing up, just the look of it is way more normal," said Spieth, who is a Player Director on the PGA TOUR's Player Policy Board. "Obviously if we're able to do it safely, that's a huge win for the tournaments and the TOUR, so hopefully it continues to go well like it did this morning." Scheffler said he was "extremely comfortable" with fans on-site. "I think the PGA TOUR’s done a great job keeping us safe and keeping the fans safe," he said. "I think it’s great that they have the freedom to come out here and watch. Pretty much everyone was wearing a mask that I saw, so I felt very safe out there on the course." Tony Finau, who shot 69, said he appreciated hearing applause when he was announced on the first tee. "Right out of the gate, when they said my name on the first tee, it was cool to have some people kind of cheer. It's been awhile since I've heard that," Finau said. "It feels nice to have some of our fans back and just look forward to having all of them back in bunches."

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Nestled inside the West Coast Swing is a fortnight of bucket-list experiences during which we’re at the midpoint. Simply attending the Waste Management Phoenix Open checks off one box for all fans of the PGA TOUR, but to play Pebble Beach Golf Links even once in a lifetime sits atop the ranking of targets for all golfers. But how about twice in four months? After it anchors this week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the host course will gear up in earnest for the U.S. Open in mid-June. As of midday Monday, 13 of the 156 golfers in this week’s field officially are qualified for the season’s third major, and many more entrants will gain entry over time without having to endure sectional qualifying. So, this week presents the bonus of a scouting trip for the major. Those who have flocked to the Monterey Peninsula will be treated to a sampling of what to expect in the U.S. Open. Scroll past the ranking for details on that, how co-hosts Spyglass Hill Golf Club and Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Shore Course fit in, an explanation of the tournament’s format and more. Tuesday’s Fantasy Insider will include defending champion Ted Potter, Jr., 2014 winner Jimmy Walker, Adam Scott, Patrick Reed and Tony Finau. It also will dive into more detail about the difficulty of each course and how fantasy gamers should approach the tournament. To prepare Pebble Beach for the U.S. Open, primary rough already has been allowed to grow on the perimeters of the fairways. While landing areas will be noticeably tighter than usual, the longest of the grass will be capped at two inches for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. In 2010, when Pebble Beach was striding to the plate to host the U.S. Open, the field split 65.40 percent of the fairways in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier in the year. That represented a decrease of 10-12 percent compared to the years leading into that season. Field averages have fluctuated in between since, but finding the short grass will again have some value this week. Considering that Pebble’s distance of all drives of 271.3 yards was the shortest average among all courses measured last season (and in line with its long-term trend) and that the course’s putting surfaces average a tiny 3,500 square feet, boring golf is great golf amid the best of vistas. This is the 10th consecutive edition of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am for which the current rotation of courses is used. Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill are par 72s, while MPCC’s Shore Course is a par 71 with five par 3s. Three of MPCC’s par 5s are on the inward nine, so the respective pars are 34 and 37. All three tracks are among the shortest tackled all season, but Spyglass Hill now boasts the longest walk of the trio, if barely. Thanks to an increase of seven yards on the par-3 third hole (to 172 yards), its overall yardage is 6,960 yards, two yards longer than MPCC. Pebble Beach checks is as usual at 6,816 yards. (It was stretched to 7,040 yards for the 2010 U.S. Open.) Severe weather over the weekend caused damage to temporary structures erected for the tournament. Trees also were uprooted, but none of the three courses were affected directly. So, the only twister you’ll see is Ho Sung Choi’s swing. The 45-year-old from South Korea is making his PGA TOUR debut this week (on a sponsor exemption). His action went viral last summer, and then he won the Casio World Open in late November. If he can replicate or improve on the result of Matthew Wolff – he of his own unique swing – at last week’s WMPO (T50), it’ll be a mission accomplished. After every golfer records one round on each course, only the low 60 and ties at the conclusion of 54 holes will play the finale at Pebble Beach. However, just like at every non-major with a cut, the low 70 and ties will collect FedExCup points and official earnings. Furthermore, the low 25 pro-am teams also will compete for their respective title at Pebble Beach on Sunday, even if the pro in the partnership missed the cut in the tournament proper. Because ShotLink will be used only on Pebble Beach for the tournament, lasered statistics including distance of all drives, proximity to the hole and all stroked-gained data will apply only to the host course. Winter is hanging on tightly along the Northern California coast. Daytime highs may not even reach the mid-50s throughout, and even that reflects a mild warming. After a dry opening round, rain is all but guaranteed during each of the last three, so the Poa annua greens likely won’t touch 11-and-a-half feet on the Stimpmeter as designed. Sustained winds at 10-15 mph will accompany the precipitation. Indeed, a bucket-list experience at Pebble Beach.   ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous angles. Look for his following contributions as scheduled. MONDAY: Rookie Ranking, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Power Rankings TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Fantasy Insider WEDNESDAY: One & Done THURSDAY: Champions One & Done * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO, which also publishes on Tuesdays.

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World No. 6 Justin Thomas has confirmed that he will defend his title at the 2021 PNC Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando, Grande Lakes, Dec. 16-19. Thomas once again will play with his father, Mike Thomas, after the pair won on their PNC Championship debut last year, birding 15 of their 18 holes to card a final-round 57 and end the week on 25-under par. Vijay Singh and son Qass claimed the second spot, while Mark O’Meara and his son Shaun shared third place alongside Lee Trevino and his son Daniel, all of whom are competing again in this year’s championship. Winner of the 2017 PGA Championship and this year’s THE PLAYERS Championship, Thomas commented: “We are excited to return to the PNC Championship this year to defend our title. It was the perfect way to end the season last year and a great time for the whole family. We’re all looking forward to getting back out there again. It is really special to be able to be out there competing with Pops amongst this amazing field of major champions and their families. We’ve both been training, we’re ready, and can’t wait for the week to start!” One player announcement remains to complete the field of golfing legends past and present. The 19 players confirmed for the 2021 line-up along with Thomas are: six-time Major winner Nick Faldo; three-time major winner and European Ryder Cup Captain Padraig Harrington; two-time major winner Mark O’Meara; three-time Major Champion Nick Price; double U.S. Open Champion Retief Goosen; 2003 U.S. Open Champion Jim Furyk; 1996 Open Champion Tom Lehman; World No.1 Nelly Korda; 2016 Open Champion Henrik Stenson; nine-time Major winner and all-round golf legend Gary Player; eight-time Major winner Tom Watson; Lee Trevino, who has played in every edition since the Championship began in 1995; former World No. 1 David Duval; two-time Major winner John Daly; three-time major winner Vijay Singh; 2013 PNC Championship winner Stewart Cink; two-time Masters Champion Bubba Watson; and Matt Kuchar, qualifying via his victory at the 2012 PLAYERS Championship. The tournament, which will be broadcast live on NBC, attracts major champions whose victories this year span 1959 to 2021. Last year, the PNC Championship included a field that had won a remarkable 67 Major titles. With only 20 teams competing, players past and present have shown unprecedented interest in campaigning for a spot in the star-studded line-up. The PNC Championship has continued to evolve and develop since the inaugural tournament in 1995, when ten major winners gathered with their sons. The tournament now features 20 major champions and their relatives competing for the total purse of $1,085,000 in a two-day, 36-hole scramble for the Willie Park Trophy. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. has been the title sponsor of the tournament since 2012. The event formerly known as the PNC Father/Son Challenge, was renamed the PNC Championship in 2020 to reflect the high level of competition and field composition, while still celebrating an inclusive family event that showcases the special bonds that the love of golf creates. To qualify for the PNC Championship, players must have won a major championship or The Players Championship. Their partner must not hold a PGA TOUR card. The PNC Championship is operated in partnership by IMG and NBC Sports. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit pncchampionship.com.

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