Special week awaits at Pebble Beach

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – In what Robert Louis Stevenson called “the most felicitous meeting of land and sea,” the sea was winning Wednesday at Pebble Beach.

Jimmy Walker stood in the bunker next to the sea wall along the 18th fairway, soaking up the scenery. Every 15 seconds, waves crashed into the rocks and sent a spectacular splash of white surf 15 feet high.

There was so much salt water in the front of the bunker that the father of Harris English said to Bob Estes, “Is this played as a waste area?” Estes smiled and pointed to the rakes placed neatly next to the sand. “No, these are bunkers,” he replied.

If the final day of practice for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am was any indication, then this could be a special week.

Not just because Tiger Woods is back at this event for the first time in 10 years. He practiced on the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula, which he had never seen. The last time he played, Poppy Hills was part of the rotation.

And not just because of the unique blend of amateurs from the world of Hollywood, sports and Wall Street. One group at Pebble featured San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, quarterback Alex Smith, retired lineman Harris Barton and Deutsche Bank Americas chief executive Seth Waugh.

There are times when the beauty of Pebble Beach makes a six-hour round tolerable.

No one was in any hurry Wednesday.

“If you have a bad experience here, it can feel like the longest week of your life,” Geoff Ogilvy said as he walked up the fourth fairway at Pebble, his head turned to the right to gaze at the sea. “If it’s a good experience, it’s enjoyable. And if it’s like this, it can feel like the greatest week of the year.”

It proved to be a tonic for Spencer Levin. Only four days ago, Levin was poised to win his first PGA Tour event when he took a six-shot lead into the final round of the Phoenix Open. He found himself rushing, just wanting the final round to be over, and he kept dropping shots. A double bogey on the 15th hole doomed him, and Kyle Stanley rallied from eight shots behind to win.