Report: New-Look Pebble Beach Pro-Am To Become Designated Event In 2024

The PGA Tour is expected to make the annual stop at Pebble Beach Golf Links one of its designated events next year, according to Golfweek.

The Tour is also reportedly considering shortening the amateur portion to 36 holes played on Thursday and Friday and only over two courses, rather than the 72 holes that are currently played over three courses with a 54-hole cut to the top 30 teams. The pros would then likely play the final 36-holes over Pebble Beach without their celebrity partners.

Jack Nicklaus previously hinted that the Pebble Beach Pro-Am would be a designated event in a new-look schedule next year, following talk of the Honda Classic having a weak field due to the designated events surrounding it.

“Next year’s schedule are Pebble and LA [the Genesis Invitational] - are their elevated tournaments," Nicklaus told the Palm Beach Post.

"Phoenix is not. Then they go to Mexico, then they come here [Honda Classic]. So, we will have players next year. And then they’ve got Bay Hill and Players. The tournament’s going to be just fine.”

Monterey Peninsula Foundation’s CEO and tournament director Steve John said he had nothing to add to this story as “conversations with key partners are ongoing.”

A designated event, or elevated event, on the PGA Tour means the players are playing for an increased purse of $20m.

The purpose of these designated events is to get all the top players on Tour to be playing and competing at the same event all at once, a change since the emergence of LIV Golf. 

The most recent prize pool for the Pebble Beach Pro-Am was $9m, but bumping it up to an elevated event would likely increase the purse to $20m next year. However, in doing this, the field size could be reduced from 156 players to between 70-80 following plans announced by the PGA Tour to introduce more no-cut, limited-field events next year.

Jordan Spieth said: “That was maybe a bit premature” on reflection of Jack Nicklaus letting slip of Pebble’s elevated status during an interview at the Honda Classic. 

“I voiced that I feel that we have this opportunity where the top guys are committing to play in the same events then we should look at the most iconic venues and make sure that we’re doing it there because that feels like the coolest scenario for ratings, for sponsors,” Spieth said. “Let’s figure out what can be done. I don’t know what that looks like. I don’t even know if they do. For AT&T to be open to it would be really cool because I love that golf tournament and it had been an unfortunate part of the schedule ever since the Saudi stuff and even before that.”

Justin Rose ended his four-year winless drought at Pebble Beach last month, which featured only three of the worlds top 20 and 21 of the top 100 players.