Sleeper Picks: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
4 Min Read
Written by Ben Everill
Signature Events bring the big names, but who might surprise at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am? Who could be a longshot to bank on? This week, we are riding some hot hands or trending individuals.
Outright
Taylor Pendrith +5500… When players show form, we shouldn’t ignore it. When you have a convergence of recent form and previous form at a course/event… well then, they need to be on your radar. Pendrith was T7 a year ago – and remember he would have had a chance to better that if the fourth round had of played out – but is also playing great golf right now. The Canadian cashed for me in the Top 10 category at Torrey Pines with a T7 last week, and he had a solid T13 at The Sentry against a similar field to this one. It also helps that the data crunchers at the PGA TOUR have slotted Pendrith as second in this field for “course fit,” so who am I to argue with the data? With his win at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson last year lifting the monkey of winning off his back, I believe Pendrith can handle the limelight should he find himself against the stars on Sunday.
*Note: The player I slot in the outright sleeper category is someone I’d also advocate betting across any or all of the Top 5, Top 10, Top 20, Top 30, Top 40 or Make Cut markets.
Top 5 (including ties)
Andrew Novak +1600… Let’s be real. Finishing in the top five two weeks running will be a tough ask. But Novak went on a run at this time of year in 2024 with three straight top 10s in February-March and also had a runner-up finish in Bermuda during the fall. You’re getting juicy odds that the man can continue his form from Torrey Pines and do a reverse of Matthieu Pavon last year. Pavon won Torrey and was third at Pebble. Novak’s last visit to Pebble Beach saw a reasonable T20 as well.
Top 10 (including ties)
Beau Hossler +400… If I had to put Hossler into the Top 20 category here last week instead of Top 5, we would have cashed. In fact, he now has three straight top-20 results on TOUR following last week’s T15 at Torrey Pines, so if you want to drop him back a level I’ll understand. But Hossler continues to play on the periphery of contention, a place he is very comfortable. In his last three trips to Pebble Beach, he was T14-T11-3, and I expect the two trends to converge.
Top 20 (including ties)
Mark Hubbard +280… It may have gone unnoticed to some of you that Hubbard was T4 at Pebble Beach a year ago and T20 the year prior – clearly, he doesn’t mind this week’s course rotation. Truth is, he loves the joint. He proposed to his girlfriend (now wife) Meghan on the 18th green back during the 2015 tournament! A final round 79 last week might also have folks off the scent, but remember that was on Torrey Pines South in brutal winds while out of contention. He was T12 at The American Express and T21 at the Sony Open in Hawaii and not that far removed from a T3 at Butterfield Bermuda last November.
Top 30
Lee Hodges +180… Given a T34 is the worst result for Hodges over his last five starts, the other four all being inside the top 16, we know this is a guy who is in control of his game. In this case I think he can use that confidence to overcome an average history which, if you dig down into, was due to just one really bad hole each visit. If he eliminates the big number, he could pop on this leaderboard.
For my more conservative picks check out Benny & The Bets and good luck with all your picks.
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