Like many, I am not very fond of no-cut events with limited fields, preferring the meaningfulness of a cut and the added possibilities of a larger field, but if there's one event it might particularly benefit then it could be the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Historically played over three courses and in the company of amateurs throughout, both of those dynamics have changed for the better. Now, we get an additional round at Pebble Beach, one of the most recognisable courses in the sport, and come the weekend we don't have to watch amateurs as part of our paid-for TV subscriptions.
These changes reflect the event's elevation to 'Signature' status and that also means we've all of the best PGA Tour golfers present, headed by Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland. The timing of this tournament, and its pro-am format, has often meant for weaker fields in recent years, but while only 80-strong, this one is elite.
Under fairer conditions, both would be recommended as strong each-way fancies, but if there's one thing that concerns me it is the prospect of being caught out at Pebble Beach during a particularly miserable stretch. For that reason, I'd rather halve the total investment and forfeit the place part in what could be a volatile tournament.
The case for Homa writes itself. He's won four times in his home state of California since the beginning of 2021, that's in just 14 starts, and while not a permanent fixture here has played in the event on six occasions. His form figures, MC-29-MC-10-14-7, follow his career trajectory and he was seventh when feeling like his swing wasn't where he needed it to be on his most recent visit.
Back in 2015, when far from the level he's at now, Homa ranked second in Pebble Beach scoring on his way to 29th place, and more recently he's 12-under for his last 54 holes at Spyglass Hill. The removal of Monterey Peninsula, where he'd so often struggled, looks to be to his benefit.
Having been in excellent form since the middle of last summer, capturing the Nedbank Challenge not long after he'd been the best US player at the Ryder Cup, Homa has made a strong start to the year, finishing 14th in Hawaii and then 13th last week.
It's worth noting that The Sentry probably isn't ideal for him, and last week's title defence at Torrey Pines saw him climb from 50th at halfway having had a quiet round on the easier North Course. Come Sunday he was briefly in the mix so it was a good effort on the back of another break.
We know by now that tougher conditions are more suitable and he defied horrible weather in the Wells Fargo Championship in 2022, so aside from the inherent randomness of the expected conditions, he looks to have a lot in his favour.
Homa said last week that the Farmers was an ideal preparation for this more high-profile event, particularly given how soft Torrey Pines was and how churned up the greens became, and playing there could prove another significant edge over three of those ahead of him in the betting.
The same goes for CANTLAY, albeit he did his best work at the North Course before a fairly unimpressive display at the South.
However, Cantlay has never really got on with Torrey Pines and was there as a means to an end, the intention being to arrive sharp for Pebble Beach, Phoenix and Riviera, three events he's been close to winning in the past.
He's seven-for-seven in terms of cuts made here at Pebble Beach and led the field in scoring at the host course when third in 2021, when he was also the best player in the field from tee-to-green. On his only subsequent appearance he finished fourth, and he's ended his last 12 rounds in this event inside the top dozen.
Like many of the more surprising major champions, Clark hasn't necessarily kicked on since then, but it's worth saying nor has he missed a cut and he played some decent golf to end last season in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Since returning to action he's got his driver dialled in, a club which had just dropped a notch, and he's started hitting greens again with his approach play notably improved over two measured rounds in the AmEx last time out.
A closing 63 at The Sentry before that a second-round 64 at La Quinta helps to suggest he's not far away and he's managed this with a largely misbehaving putter, the club which underpinned those two wins in the space of a golden six weeks last summer.
Scott won't see it that way and rightly so, his ambitions still lofty, and he talked about how good a place he was in when beginning his season in Dubai.
The former Masters champion added another top-10 finish to his tally there, making it nine in 18 starts since last year's Masters, and it was especially encouraging to see him produce his best driving display in a couple of years.
Now established as a high-class putter, even if yes we all might still hold our breath if he's stood over an important five-footer on Sunday, Scott looks to be playing some of his best golf in some time – perhaps since his last major top 10, which came here at Pebble Beach in 2019.
Davis has been producing bursts of excellent golf lately, opening with a 62 in the Sony and also shooting rounds of 63 and a couple of 65s in recent starts, including on the toughest course in the AmEx last time out when the scoring average was around 69.
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