Pebble Beach was an unknown quantity in 1929 when the United States Golf Association selected the new golf course to host the United States Amateur Golf Championship.
The Amateur was considered the most prestigious tournament in the world and considered a Major Championship.
Pebble Beach became the first golf course west of the Mississippi River to be awarded this Championship.
Adding to the hoopla surrounding the tournament was Bobby Jones, the most famous athlete of his day, who was defending his 1928 Amateur Championship and was the heavy favorite to win again.
It was not to be and Jones lost in the first round which gave him time to play some of the other golf courses in the area including, Cypress Point and Pasatiempo, both designed by architech, Alister Mackenzie.
Jones was impressed with Mackenzie’s work, and after he retired from competitive golf, Jones would hire Mackenzie to design his new golf club in Augusta, Georgia which would later become one of the most famous courses and tournaments in the world. The Masters.
I have posted the early leaderboard along with more history of Pebble Beach.
Please listen below.
At the Open, I’m Jeff Waters
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