Four 2008 PGA Tour Winners Highlight 37th Annual Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational

November 13, 2008

Ryan Palmer, who earlier this month claimed his second career title, will be joined by three other 2008 PGA Tour tournament winners in the 37th annual Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational presented by Merrill Lynch. The unique 72-hole event, which features 81 professionals from the four major tours as well as mini-tour players and club pros, will be held Nov. 18-23 at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course and Del Monte Golf Course.

Palmer, a fifth-year PGA Tour pro, earned his first PGATour win since his debut season in 2004 at the Ginn sur Mer Classic (Nov. 2). He will be joined by 2008 tournament winners Steve Lowery, D.J. Trahan and Chez Reavie among 29 PGA Tour players in the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational field.

Trahan won the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic (Jan. 20). Lowery is the reigning AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am titlist (Feb. 10). Reavie claimed the RBC Canadian Open (July 27).

Palmer, whose 2007 season was the least successful of his young career, was in jeopardy of losing is full PGA Tour exemption for 2009. But he rallied to win the Ginn sur Mer Classic in unique circumstances.

After beginning the week in 143rd on the season money list, he made an 11-foot birdie putt of the final hole to emerge from a multiple player tie. Palmer’s win also came after a rain delay and during a round in which he called a one-stroke penalty on himself and recorded a bogey when his ball moved in gusting winds as he was about to putt on the 10th hole.

“I had it a little rough last year,” said Palmer, who eventually finished 68th on the 2008 season-ending money list to secure a two-year exemption. “I put so much sweat and a lot of tears into this year. I’m speechless; it’s unbelievable. The work I put in this year, working hard, grinding. For it to finally show, I knew it was coming.”

Founded in 1972, the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational is the only tournament featuring individual competition among players from the four major tours.

Championship rounds for the $300,000 event will be played Nov. 20-23 with the first three rounds held simultaneously on all three courses. Following the 54-hole cut, the top 40 pros and 10 amateur teams will play the final round Sunday, Nov. 23 at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

The winner will earn $60,000. Tee shot yardage advantages are given to various tours’ players on each of the three courses.

Admission to the tournament is free as is entrance to the 17-Mile Drive for tournament spectators.

Kevin Sutherland, who won the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational in 2000 and had two runner-up finishes this season, is the top 2008 PGA Tour money list entrant in 18th place with more than $2.5 million.

John Cook, who finished fifth on the money list this season, will lead nine Champions Tour entrants. Brittany Lincicome, one of the longest hitters on the LPGA Tour and a 2007 Solheim Cup member, will lead seven LPGA Tour entrants. The 14 entrants from the Nationwide Tour will include nine players who will be competing on the PGA Tour in 2009.

Rocco Mediate, second this year in a Monday playoff to Tiger Woods at the U.S. Open and the 1999 Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational winner, will also be in the field that includes a half-dozen former Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational winners.

Two-time U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen, 2002 PGA Championship titlist Rich Beem and Scott Simpson, the former U.S. Open winner and 2006 Walmart First Tee Open titlist at Pebble Beach, are also in the field.

The Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational benefits The Kiwanis Club of Monterey County and the AT&T Pebble Beach Junior Golf Association.

Posted in Monterey Peninsula Golf, Monterey Peninsula Leisure