Harry The Hat at Pebble

By Harry Emanuel Last updated: 16th February 2010

Our man at Pebble Beach gives us the low-down on some of the most famous celebrities playing at the annual AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

In 1937 Bing Crosby brought together some of his Hollywood friends and a few golf professionals to raise money for Charity and the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach was born.

Since then many big name professionals have won the event including Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Billy Casper, Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Tom Kite, Fuzzy Zoeller, Mark O'Meara, Phil Mickelson, Payne Stewart, Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh.

On the amateur side there have been many A List Celebrities in attendance through the years from Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jnr., Fred Astaire, Dean Martin, Clint Eastwood and Kevin Costner to Bill Murray.

Bill still draws the biggest crowds and laughs but he wasn't laughing at the scorer's tent after being informed his birdie on the first had actually been chalked up as a bogey.

As it turns out he was given a two shot penalty for being late to the first tee! He called it a 'bit nerdy' but downhill ski fan and playing partner Tim Herron wasn't complaining as that was another drink Bill owed him.

The celebrity contingent played at Pebble Beach on Saturday on what was one of the most glorious days ever seen at the course. Not only was the sun shining but huge waves were crashing along the Pebble coast line.

The waves were big enough to ensure the 2010 Mavericks Surf Competition at Half Moon Bay was in full swing where 24 of the world's best surfers are invited to take on some of the world's fiercest 50 feet waves. Check it out on the internet - it is insane.

Surfer Kelly Slater, who was not invited to this year's Mavericks, admitted, "It would have been a tough call between surfing and Pebble today." His favourite golfers are Ernie, Tiger and Norman but the only ones he's taken surfing are Adam Scott and Stuart Apple.

There were some pretty well known actors about like Carmine Giving aka forensic scientist Danny Messier in CSI NY. In his second year here he is so desperate to win he has his rib injury specially wrapped up.

He was smoking a cigarette and as I'm only six days a non-smoker I made it a very quick interview. His favourite sporting movies are Slap Shot, Hoosiers (very common choice) and Field Of Dreams and his favourite golfers are Padraig Harrington, Ado and Freddy Couples.

Chris O'Donnell (Scent of a Woman and Batman & Robin) played with young guns and snappy dressers Rickie Fowler and Ryo Ishikawa. He said, "You should have seen what Ryo was wearing on Thursday!' It looked liked green pyjamas."

He went on, "I am amazed at the way Ryo handles himself with this army following him (I counted 30 Japanese media). He had a couple of shots where they literally lay down in front of his ball and he doesn't care. You don't realise just what a big star he is over there. We figured on first day they must have taken 16,000 photos of him."

At this point I thought it fitting to tell him about the Muffin Mystery. We couldn't work out why there was nothing for breakfast in the Media Dining Room every morning despite coming in earlier and earlier every day. After a bit of investigating it turns out the Japanese media sweep through every morning and consume the entire quota of 130 muffins like a plague of locusts. Chris said, "They sound like locusts every time he swings click, click, click."

George Lopez, a genuinely funny man and great ambassador for golf, bought Churos (a strange bagel/waffle like bread stick thingy - cost $7) for everyone at the 17th and then proceeded to hit his tee shot into the stand.

On a more serious note he said; "Golf will always survive no matter what the circumstances are, it's bigger than any players. Its survived generations - Hogan, Sarazen, Palmer, Nicklaus, Miller, Norman and Tiger. It will continue to endure. Not one dude is the Tour."

Famous sportsmen like three time Super Bowl Winner Tom Brady take part and it's not just the spectators who enjoy seeing the celebrities as his partner Steve Marino pointed out. "It's pretty awesome. I think pretty much everybody in the world would have wanted to be in my shoes. There was a lot of hooting and hollering. It was pretty cool."

Don Cheadle (12 handicapper) from such movies as Oceans 11 and Hotel Rwanda admitted what most of us imagine it must be like to play in the Pro-Am, "Nervous and excited hell yeh. On the first tee I say just let me hit it. It's nerve-racking but I enjoy it."

After three days it is now time for the spotlight to shine on the professionals as they try to join the great list of Champions.

Harry Emanuel