Where the surf meets the turf.
The annual Clam Bake on the California coast resumes for the 84th edition this week as a field of 156 will tee it up at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Unlike the previous editions there will not be 156 amateurs joining their professional partners due to the pandemic. A purse of $7.8 million is on the table and so are 500 FedExCup points and a check for $1.404 million for first place.
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For those of you who enjoy the antics of Bill Murray or the quick wit of Ray Romano, apologies. The good news is the show is going on but in a different format this year and will not include six hour rounds. Only Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill will be in use as Monterrey Peninsula Country Club takes a break without the amateurs. Each pro will get a round on each before the tournament is cut after 36 holes. Those surviving return to Pebble Beach for the weekend and a chance for the victory.
Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill have both hosted rounds in this tournament every year since 1978. Pebble Beach will play Par-72 and stretch to 7,051 yards while Spyglass Hill is the same Par-72 but just 10 yards shorter. The greens at Pebble Beach (and the wind) are the main defense as they are the smallest on TOUR. The fairways are some of the widest so that’s a clue. Spyglass Hill has slightly below average targets and has ranked inside the top 20 most difficult tracks on TOUR the last three seasons.
Canadian Nick Taylor returns to defend his title and will look to join Dustin Johnson (not entered) as the only repeat champion this century.
Recent Event Winners Stats
| Stats/Year | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Winner | Nick Taylor | Phil Mickelson | Ted Potter, Jr |
| Winning Score | -19 | -19 | -17 |
| Margin | 4 (Kevin Streelman) | 3 (Paul Casey) | 3 (Mickelson, Day, Reavie) |
| Strokes Gained Stats | |||
| Pebble Beach ONLY | |||
| Distance of All Drives | 39 | 8 | T39 |
| Driving Accuracy | T7 | T48 | 67 |
| Greens in Regulation | T3 | T8 | T9 |
| Ball-Striking | 4 | 35 | T20 |
| Proximity to the Hole | T29 | T2 | 3 |
| Putting: Birdie-or-Better % | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| SG: Off-the-Tee | 54 | 26 | 15 |
| SG: Approach-the-Green | 13 | 1 | 19 |
| SG: Around-the-Green | 13 | 31 | 26 |
| SG: Putting | 2 | 20 | 24 |
| SG: Tee-to-Green | 19 | 2 | 7 |
| SG: Total | 2 | 1 | T6 |
| Scrambling | 30 | T51 | T19 |
| Bogey Avoidance | T2 | T16 | T16 |
| Par-3 Scoring | 1 | T17 | T41 |
| Par-4 Scoring | 2 | T2 | 2 |
| Par-5 Scoring | T5 | T2 | 2 |
| Par Breakers | T1 | 1 | 1 |
Recent Winners and Notables
2020: Nick Taylor (-19)
Won by four shots for his second victory on TOUR. … Just the fourth international winner in history. … 10th wire-to-wire winner but first since Phil Mickelson (2005). … First 54-hole lead or co-lead on TOUR. … Chipped in twice, once for eagle, once for birdie in the final round. … Joins the last three champs in winning by three or more shots. … Only one of three players to start at No. 1 tee and post a score under-par (70) in the final round. … Posted 11-under aggregate on Pebble Beach/Spyglass; tied with Streelman for low total for the week. … Becomes sixth consecutive winner in the top 10 GIR (T3). … Won in his sixth try… Only one top 10 in his previous seven TOUR events entering the week.
Notables:
Kevin Streelman (2nd) led the field in Strokes-Gained at Pebble Beach as he picked up his third consecutive top 10 finish. … 5-time and defending champion Phil Mickelson (3rd) played his final 12 holes in 5-over par after beginning the final round one behind. … Jason Day (4th) signed for his fifth T5 or better in his last six visits. … Daniel Berger (T5) picked up his second top 10 payday in as many visits. … Matt Jones (T5) has cashed T11 or better in three of his last six but this was the best of the bunch. … Maverick McNealy (T5) posted a bogey-free 68 to close, the only bogey-free round of the day. … 2017 winner Jordan Spieth (T9) posted the low round of Sunday (67) to hit the top 10 for the fourth time in eight visits. … Patrick Cantlay (T11) opened with 66 at Spyglass but played Pebble Beach 1-over on the weekend. … Day and Chris Baker (T38) posted 64 on Pebble Beach in Round 2.
2019: Phil Mickelson (-19)
Won for the fifth time, tying Mark O’Meara for most in tournament history. … 14th win in California ties Tiger Woods for the most in TOUR history. … Trailed Paul Casey by three shots after 54 holes yet won by three. … Oldest winner in event history at 48. … 15th straight winner from USA. … Played his final two rounds at Pebble Beach (-9) after 68 at Spyglass Hill. … Fourth winner in five to be first or second in Par-Breakers. … Fifth consecutive winner to finish in the top 2 Par-4 Scoring. … Nearly won at The American Express (T2) but MC previous week at WMPO. … Played Saudi Arabia (T3) before 2020 solo third.
Notables:
Paul Casey (2nd) shared the 36 hole lead with Mickelson and led by three after 54 as he picked up his second consecutive top 10. … Scott Stallings (3rd) joined Mickelson on 13-under for the three non-MPCC rounds. … Jason Day (T4) was 7-under aggregate. … Si Woo Kim (T4) opened with 66 at Pebble and posted 13-under, not including MPCC. … Kevin Streelman (T7) matched Mickelson with 65 on Sunday. … Max Homa (T10) closed 68-67 Spyglass/Pebble for his first top 10 at the event. … Michael Thompson (T10) posted a bogey-free 66 Sunday. … Due to inclement weather, Lift, Clean and Replace were used all four rounds. … Consecutive left handed winners.
2018: Ted Potter (-17)
Began the final round in the final group with Dustin Johnson (not entered) and beat him by three shots. … Played in the final group after 62 at MPCC in Round 3. … Led the field in Par-Breakers and Birdies (24). … Last five winners from 2016-2021 have hit the top five in Putting: Birdie-or-Better Percentage. … Sat T1 after 36 holes here in 2013 before finishing T16. … Entered the week off 75-74-82 finish at Torrey Pines South. … Won in his fourth attempt. … Second win on TOUR.
Notables:
Jason Day (T2) claimed his best finish to this day. … Phil Mickelson (T2) closed with 67. … Chez Reavie (T2) went on to finish third in the U.S. Open in 2019 and co-led the field in Strokes-Gained: Total at Pebble Beach. … Kevin Streelman (6th) posted the best non MPCC aggregate by two shots on 11-under. … Scott Stallings (7th) stormed home with bogey-free 66 to post 9-under on the three courses in use for 2021. … Paul Casey (T8) also signed for 9-under, co-second-best aggregate. … Kevin Chappell (T8) co-led Strokes-Gained: Total at Pebble Beach. … 2014 winner Jimmy Walker (T8) has MC the last two editions. … Defending champ Jordan Spieth cashed T20. … First round leader and co-36 hole leader Beau Hossler (T43) opened with 65 at Pebble Beach. … Weather was perfect.
Key stat leaders
Top golfers in each statistic on the 2019-2020 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week.
* – Top 25 finish here since 2016
| Greens in Reguation | Golfer |
| 1 | *Jim Furyk |
| 2 | Kyle Stanley |
| 7 | Josh Teater |
| 13 | *Henrik Norlander |
| 14 | *Paul Casey |
| 15 | Harold Varner III |
| 16 | *Pat Perez |
| 19 | Jhonattan Vegas |
| 20 | *Chesson Hadley |
| 21 | *Nick Watney |
| 22 | *Matthew NeSmith |
| 23 | *Russell Knox |
| 24 | Chris Baker |
| 25 | *Joseph Bramlett |
| Putting: Birdie or Better | Golfer |
| 6 | *Daniel Berger |
| 11 | Kirstoffer Ventura |
| 12 | Seamus Power |
| 14 | Denny McCarthy |
| 15 | Charley Hoffman |
| 16 | *Grayson Murray |
| 17 | *Jordan Spieth |
| 19 | *Chesson Hadley |
| 20 | *Bronson Burgoon |
| 21 | *Danny Lee |
| 22 | *Patrick Cantlay |
| 25 | Rickie Fowler |
| Scrambling | Golfer |
| 1 | *Daniel Berger |
| 7 | Adam Schenk |
| 8 | Mark Anderson |
| 9 | Brian Harman |
| 14 | Cameron Tringale |
| 15 | David Hearn |
| 18 | Kramer Hickok |
| 20 | Alex Noren |
| 22 | *Russell Knox |
| 24 | *Tim Wilkinson |
| 26 | *Brandt Snedeker |
| 28 | *Jason Day |
| 30 | *Maverick McNealy |
Horses for Courses
| Player (Starts/cuts made) | Top 10s | Top 25s | Most Recent (season) | Big Finishes |
| Top 10 last five years | ||||
| Nick Taylor (4/6) | 2 | 2 | Win (2020) | T30 or better in four weekends |
| Kevin Streelman (9/13) | 4 | 6 | 2 (2020) | 3rd straight top 10; Five straight T17 or better |
| Jason Day (11/11) | 7 | 9 | 4 (2020) | T11 or better six straight visits |
| Matt Jones (11/13) | 3 | 6 | T5 (2020) | T23 or better in four of six; T11 or better in three of six |
| Maverick McNealy (1/2) | 1 | 1 | T5 (2020) | Only bogey free round (68) Sunday last year |
| Daniel Berger (2/2) | 1 | 2 | T5 (2020) | T15 2015; all eight rounds 70 or better |
| Phil Mickelson (21/24) | 12 | 14 | Win (2019) | Hit podium in four of his last five visits |
| Paul Casey (3/5) | 2 | 2 | 2 (2019) | T8 2018; MC last year |
| Scott Stallings (3/6) | 2 | 3 | 3 (2019) | 7 2018; T14 2017; MC 2020 |
| Si Woo Kim (2/5) | 1 | 1 | T4 (2019) | T35; MC 2020 |
| Brian Gay (8/12) | 2 | 4 | T7 (2019) | T8 2018; seven straight paydays here |
| Scott Piercy (4/7) | 1 | 3 | T10 (2019) | T18 2020; T20 2018; four straight paydays |
| Max Homa (3/5) | 1 | 2 | T10 (2019) | T14 2020; closed with 67 each time |
| Ted Potter, Jr (2/6) | 1 | 2 | Win (2018) | T16 2013 |
| Chez Reavie (6/11) | 1 | 2 | T2 (2018) | T26 or better three of the last five |
| Patrick Rodgers (1/3) | 1 | 1 | T8 (2018) | MC last two years |
| Jimmy Walker (9/13) | 5 | 7 | T8 (2018) | 2014 winner completed four consecutive top 10s |
| Kevin Chappell (8/11) | 2 | 4 | T8 (2018) | 3 of last 5 top 25 |
| Troy Merritt (2/8) | 1 | 2 | T8 (2018) | T25 2020; MC six straight before 2018 |
| Grayson Murray (1/3) | 1 | 1 | T8 (2018) | MC before, MC after |
| Jordan Spieth (8/8) | 4 | 7 | Win (2017) | T9 2020; seven of eight T22 or better |
| Kelly Kraft (3/5) | 1 | 1 | 2 (2017) | MC last two years |
| Brandt Snedeker (8/13) | 3 | 5 | 4 (2017) | 2015 Winner (tournament record); 2013 winner |
| Rob Oppenheim (4/4) | 1 | 1 | T8 (2017) | T38 2020 is next best |
| Cameron Percy (4/7) | 1 | 1 | T10 (2017) | T57 next best |
| Vaughn Taylor (7/13) | 2 | 3 | Win (2016) | T10 2015; quiet after his win |
Glass Houses 