Tiger Woods is back at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for the first time in a decade. (Getty Images)
Plenty of theories have been put forth as to why Tiger Woods took the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am off his schedule a decade ago: Dicey weather, 5 1/2-hour rounds with amateurs, unpredictable putts on Pebble’s poa annua greens.
Woods, for his part, keeps his explanation simple: “It’s been scheduling; just it hasn’t fit.”
Which, if you’re attuned to golf lingo, still could mean any or all of the above. Sort of like: “I kept pushing off that colonoscopy because it just didn’t fit into my schedule.”
Be that as it may, we’ll have to take Woods’ word for it. He did have a rain check to give Dubai promoters last year. Two years ago, he was in rehab for the transgressions that wrecked his marriage. In 2009, he was coming off reconstructive knee surgery.
Before that, explanations have less wiggle room. Pebble Beach came a week after Dubai from 2006-08, which would have made a tight travel window but was doable. As for 2005 and earlier, you’ll have to ask Woods.
But he’s back now, hoping the Monterey Peninsula sea spray can set free some of the magic he once showed on the iconic layout. In addition to his 15-shot U.S. Open victory lap in 2000, he overcame a seven-shot deficit to beat Matt Gogel four months earlier.
Keep an eye on the Spyglass Hill scores. It’s perhaps the toughest course in the rotation, where the past 10 years have seen the eventual winner post nothing worse than a 70. That includes Phil Mickelson’s course-record 62 back in 2005.
Last week: Phoenix was a wasteland for Pick-4’s fortunes, where Rickie Fowler’s tie for 25th was the best among the quartet. Through five events: One win, four top-10s.
1) Tiger Woods. Yes, it’s time. None of the other marquee names have been playing well of late, so the door is open for Woods to fill that nagging empty space in the ‘W’ column. One question: If Woods and Tony Romo win the amateur crown, can Pick-4 claim it?
2) Bryce Molder. A strong Fall Series has carried over to 2012, notching top-15 finishes in six of his past seven starts. He’s found a comfort zone in Northern California – his Frys.com win came just down the highway, and he has top-10s in his past two trips to Pebble Beach.
3) D.A. Points. It isn’t often that Pick-4 grabs the defending champion – especially if he has to play straight man to Bill Murray for four days again. However, the Windermere pro arrives off a solid 2012 start, placing himself among the top 12 in three of his four 2012 appearances.
4) Trevor Immelman. It’s rarely a bad thing to put an ex-major champ in the longshot’s slot. Since a 76-76 start to his year at the Humana Challenge, Immelman has broken par in his past nine rounds and tied for 12th last week in Phoenix. Wrist woes are behind him.
