2019 U.S. Open Course Guide: Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach has the honor of staging the 2019 U.S. Open and the famous California venue will hold no surprises for the world’s best golfers when they tee it up in the third major of the year.

This year will be the first in which the U.S. Open has not been the second of the year’s majors following the moving of the PGA Championship to May, but that will not be taking off any gloss ahead of the showpiece at Pebble Beach.

This will be the sixth time the U.S. Open has been held at Pebble Beach and the first since 2010, but it is a regular on the PGA TOUR too.

Brooks Koepka will be bidding to complete a hat-trick of wins having won the US Open at Erin Hills in 2017 and Shinnecock Hills last year.

Pebble Beach History

Pebble Beach first opened for play on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in 1919 and gets the honour of celebrating the centenary by staging the U.S. Open for the sixth time.

Regarded as one of the United States’ most picturesque courses, Pebble Beach staged a first U.S. Open in 1972 when Jack Nicklaus triumphed. Tom Watson won in 1982, Tom Kite lifted the title in 1992, Tiger Woods was victorious in 2000 and Graeme McDowell was the most recent U.S. Open champion in 2010.

Pebble Beach has also staged one PGA Championship, that being back in 1977 when Lanny Wadkins was crowned champion.

The course is also set to stage the US Women’s Open in 2023 and a seventh US Open in 2027, while the PGA TOUR rolls into town each year for the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Pebble Beach Course Guide

Pebble Beach is situated on coastal California and offers some of the best views along the cliffs, none more so than the short par-3 7th hole which is played downhill towards the Pacific Ocean and is nothing more than a flick with the hole measuring just 109 yards. It is the most photographed hole in golf.

Despite the short signature hole, the 2019 U.S. Open will be played over a total of 7,075 yards with a par of 71. It is therefore no pushover, although Woods did managed to tame the course in 2000 when he won with a 12-under par total.

The par-5 8th is another stunning hole with the approach played across Stillwater Cove, while the par-5 14th hole will be one of the toughest all week with the second shot being a real risk and reward opportunity for those looking to take on the green. But it has the potential to be a card wrecker.

The 17th hole, a 208-yard par-3, is likely to be key to deciding the winner with the hole played along the ocean to a very difficult green. Escaping with par could set someone up for victory on the final day.

But the tricky par-5 18th still needs negotiating with a lone tree situated in the middle of the fairway to make the drive difficult and a bunker measuring more than 100-yards guarding the left side of the hole.

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