AARON RODGERS, BILL Murray, Mark Wahlberg.
No, it’s not the line-up of some ill-conceived buddy cop movie but rather just three of the names taking to the world-famous Pebble Beach Golf Links at Spyglass Hill this week.
There are also some pretty big name golfers taking part in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am this week, with the world’s number one and four — Jason Day and Dustin Johnson — as well as the likes of Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed and Justin Rose all teeing up.
All that goofing around by Murray actually results in a lot of money being raised too. Last year, the tournament distributed $10.8 million to more than 250 charitable organisations.
It also contains one of the most beautiful holes in golf, the par three 7th. At just 106 yards, it is also the shortest hole on the PGA Tour.
This week could be especially tricky for both the pros and A-listers alike as the weather has played havoc with the preparations.
Hopefully it won’t look like this over the weekend though I’ll be very disappointed if one of you doesn’t comment to say you’ve played in worse over the past month.
Tee shorts
Here are the Irish players in action (all times are Irish and for Thursday’s opening round):
PGA Tour – Pebble Beach Pro-Am
- Padraig Harrington – 4.11pm
- Shane Lowry – 4.11pm
- Seamus Power – 4.22pm
European Tour – Maybank Championship, Malaysia
- Paul Dunne – 9.40am
- Niall Turner – 2.10pm
Back spin
If you missed them, here are the contenders for the European Tour Shot of the Month for January, released earlier this week:
Sign your card
South African Charl Schwartzel is the 12/1 favourite for the Maybank Championship in Malaysia on the back of nine weeks off following the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December.
Lee Westwood (16/1) will be fancied by many having two wins at the Saujana Golf and Country Club already, including the 2014 edition of this event.
If looking for longer odds, defending champion Marcus Fraser is available at 66/1.
Over on the PGA Tour, Dustin Johnson (7/1) goes in as favourite because of the weather and already has three weather-shortened 54-hole events — including Pebble Beach in 2009 — to his name.
Jordan Spieth (8/1) and Jason Day (12/1) are also towards the top of the betting slip.
In terms of each-way betting, Tony Finau looks a decent shout at 50/1 but don’t let a missed cut in Phoenix put you off. The American started the year T-4, T-20 and T-9 in his first three events.
(All odds courtesy of Ladbrokes)
The 19th
Those of you of a sensitive disposition may want to look away now.
Okay, ready?
But here’s how US youngster Maxton Price pulled his own tooth this week:
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“The Aviva Stadium is expected to be at a reduced capacity for the game, in the region of 27,000, although that could change in the event of exceptional demand” surely that’s how it is with moat teams? I’d imagine there will be a lot more of a demand than the 27,000 capacity anyway.
@Dave Murray: I would have thought that certain sections will not be used with restricted capacity, resulting in a smaller staff requirement. If they put all 52k tickets on sale, all sections will have to be available and therefore full match day costs applied.
@Paul Ennis: I get that, just thought it(a little)odd that they would announce a 27,000 capacity restriction before tickets are on sale to the public and see what the demand is etc. But I guess with a short turn around and Easter weekend it could be harder to shift 50,000 tickets and get staff in like you said.
@Dave Murray: EPRC also organising the game rather than Leinster, and they’re shit at running things.
Without being presumptuous – is the semi final
Draw already planned out?
@Daithi Mc Ghiollamhairtin: Yeah. Leinster/Leicester v Toulouse/Sharks and La Rochelle/Salarycens v Exeter/Stormers
@baz dunne: many thanks
@baz dunne: Salarycens hahaha
5 day turnaround with the knock on effect of potential reduced capacity due to the limited timeframe is a great reward for going through as top seed. This is an absolute joke
@Rob Doyle: Your prize for top seed is its at “home” or at least 10mins down the road from it, so be thankful you’re not coming from Welford Rd with a week to plan it!! it does feel too near, be better if a 2 week gap but all the teams that are through are in the same scenario regardless of they seeding. 27k is an average sized rugby stadium, crucially it’s circa 10k more than full RDS capacity, and the fans all know the weekends of the semis well in advance, if not the exact day. I’m not overjoyed by a half full Aviva myself but it is what it is.
Real shame it’s not in a packed RDS, a half full Aviva sucks.
I think we’ll Leinster, Sharks, Stormers, and La Rochelle in the semis.
@Brenda Collins: 3 from URC? they’ll be due an ol restructure soon enough so.