DANIEL BERGER IS BACK AS DEFENDING CHAMPION. Jordan Spieth, Brandt Snedeker and Ted Potter Jr. are recent winners and return with an eye on repeating. But one golfer has such a handle on the courses and the event’s unique format that he is also likely to challenge for both AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am titles.
Kevin Streelman recalls his first venture along 17-Mile Drive as a vision of paradise.
“It’s probably my favorite stop on the tour,” Streelman says.
The PGA Tour veteran is enamored of the setting, certainly. He’s a frequent visitor to the area, owning the course record round – 60 – at Carmel Valley Ranch. Considering his performance in recent years at Pebble Beach, golf is clearly more attractive than the Central Coast scenery.
Since missing the cut in 2015, Streelman has not finished outside the top 20 at Pebble Beach. He was second on the leaderboard two years ago, tied for seventh in 2019 and came in sixth the year before. At the 2019 Pro-Am he was the only player to card under 70 all four days.
And Streelman has been consistent at Pebble Beach over the past six years. During that span he averaged almost 11 under par on courses that can be fickle.
On the Pro-Am side, Streelman and playing partner and former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald are returning champions. They captured the title in 2020 – there was no amateur play last year – and also took home the trophy in 2018.
What happened in between? “I played pretty well that year so you’ll have to ask Larry,” Streelman says with a laugh. “I can still give him a hard time.”
The team format is unique to the tour and presents difficulties not met elsewhere. While the Monterey Peninsula Foundation – the organization that hosts the Pro-Am – vets the amateur field for the best talent, it’s impossible to match the level of tour professionals throughout the field. The pace is ponderous compared to a normal PGA tournament and wait times, as slower groups clear the green, can be frustrating. Caddies not accustomed to tour etiquette add a few bumps.
The number of people tramping the turf – 156 pros, 156 amateurs and their caddies – makes some shots treacherous on soggy days. Yet Streelman admits he missed all the commotion of amateurs and fans when they were locked out by the pandemic in 2021.
“We felt fortunate to compete, but it wasn’t the same,” he says. “Bill Murray – that’s what you think about at Pebble Beach.”
Celebrities comprise just a portion of the amateur field, of course. But with Streelman at his side, Fitzgerald is the only star to win twice.
Seven other celebrities have earned wins, including Bill Murray (2011) with D.A. Points, musician Kenny G (2001) with Phil Mickelson and baseball hall of famer George Brett (1987) playing alongside Fred Couples.
So Streelman and Fitzgerald make a formidable partnership. The two had played together elsewhere and when first invited to participate in the event, Streelman says Fitzgerald felt more comfortable being thrown into the tournament den with a friend alongside. Now the two are versed on each other’s game, something that has helped when it comes to collecting Pebble Beach trophies.
“He’s always had a good short game,” Streelman says of Fitzgerald. “He hits his three and four irons so far – he’s good inside of 150.”
Streelman points out that the tournament format is likely more daunting for the amateurs. Pebble Beach is part of the PGA Tour, with points earned by professionals counting toward the FedEx Cup. Celebrities and amateurs who make the cut after Friday’s round must continue to grind it out for the full four days – days that matter to their playing partners.
When things click, however, relationships form that can extend beyond the course. “The team feeling – we don’t get that in golf,” Streelman explains. “Larry and I – the highlight of my career is our deep friendship.”
As it became apparent they could win the pro-am title in 2018, Streelman noticed that his motivation deepened.
“I was focused on what I was doing,” he recalls. “I wanted to do it for him. I was so happy for Larry.”
An Illinois native, Streelman turned professional after graduating from Duke University in 2001, borrowing his mother’s Nissan to venture west, joining the Dakotas Tour. He earned a spot on the PGA Tour in 2008.
He put in the work. And it has paid off with two tour wins, a number of top tens and those two Pro-Am titles with Fitzgerald.
Streelman says that his teammate plays more often than he does these days. Streelman took a six-week break that started in December and extended into January before getting back into the swing of the tour schedule.
“He’ll be ready, we’ll be ready,” he adds. “Just getting back into competition – I love it. This is what I do.”