Congrats are due!

After further review … the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreck havoc on our country and the world. While we must maintain our safety by wearing masks (which we dislike) and maintaining physical distancing (will we ever get back to congratulatory hugs?), we all so desperately desire to resume a normal lifestyle. Those in the world of sports remain determined to schedule games and sporting events. While it is certainly challenging, we do what we can to maintain normalcy.

Such a challenge recently faced the AT&T Pebble

Beach Pro-Am in our beachtown community. To follow state guidelines, the “Am” — meaning “amateur” — had to be canceled. For the first time, this tournament started by Bing Crosby and initially held in the Southern California community of Rancho Santa Fe, had to be held without amateur partners of professional golfers and without the massive crowds that it usually draws.

The Monterey Peninsula Foundation along with its partner the Pebble Beach

Co. as well as its corporate sponsor, AT&T, successfully put on a “Celebrity Shootout” with Bill Murray, a perennial favorite, teamed with Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, competing against Alfonso Ribeiro, who partnered with Macklemore (yes, just one name) and Kathryn Newton and Kira K. Dixon (former Miss America) with the latter two as winners for this AT&T “Every Shot Counts Charity” $1.6 million event. Jim Nantz was the master of ceremonies.

The 2021 Pro champion was Daniel Berger who stood on the 18h tee box tied for the lead needing a birdie on this iconic par-5 finishing hole. Going through his mind had to be that on Saturday (the day before), Berger had hit his tee shot out of bounds for a double bogey. Berger not only won that hole and the tournament but sank a 31-foot eagle putt for 65 — 7 under par!

The tournament for the pro golfers and their caddies had good weather. The “Crosby” as it was called for years traditionally drew rainy weather with everything from sprinkles to stormy to blizzard conditions. For the most part, golfers don’t mind what the conditions are —“just get me on the course and I’ll play.” Spectators who are golf enthusiasts don’t seem to have a concern about weather conditions either. Mostly, they just want to follow their favorite golfer wanting to learn how and

which club to use for each shot.

Playing both the Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course, this field of 156 pro golfers played four days of challenging golf. The pre-tournament favorite Jordan Spieth, while not the

winner this time, finished in a tie for third. Maverick McNealy, a Stanford graduate who once lived on Pebble’s 16th fairway, finished second. Will you join me in congratulating the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, the Pebble Beach Co. and the AT&T?