Early Days In 1937, Bing Crosby invited a group of friends to get together for a round a golf at Rancho Santa Fe, in Southern California. Click here for Masters Golf tickets. That first gathering of Hollywood celebrities and golf greats gave birth to the first Bing Crosby Pro-Am, with Sam Snead taking the top prize of $500. The next five years the tournament was played at the Rancho Santa Fe until the war discontinued it.

In 1946 Monterey Peninsula was in financial trouble due to the war. At this time a local reporter, Ted Durein, came up with the idea to bring a major special event to the Peninsula. The goal of this event was to attract people to the Monterey peninsula and boost the local economy.

All Golf games. We buy and sell tickets to all Golf home and away games. If you need information about the Golf please contact us. This link will take you to scheduling, ticket prices and seating charts for the Golf

Ted Durein quickly solicited local merchants to see if they would pool money for a tournament purse -- they would. Durein than wrote Bing Crosby with the idea of a special event and than waited for his reply. Six months later Larry Crosby, Bing’s brother, wrote back looking for an offer. Durein quickly rushed to see Samuel F.B. Morse (founder of Del Monte Properties, now known as Pebble Beach Company) to see if he would host this event. Sam Morse agreed and a deal was struck between Ted Durein and Larry Crosby.

Bing then decided that he wanted the tournament spread out over all three golf courses. The PGA Tour, the controlling body for the professional golfers association, consented and the Crosby Pro-Am broke new ground in American Golf. Since then, the annual tournament at Pebble Beach has been a staple of the PGA Tour’s calendar. The tournament purse has increased from $500 for the first prize in 1937 to a first prize of $198,000 in 1991. The monies for charity each year have continued to set new records as well.

Tournament format

The format is as follows: an amateur and professional are paired for three days for a total of 54 holes, rotating over the three golf courses. 180 pros and 180 amateurs compete in the event for a total field of 360. Low 60 professionals and 25 pro-am teams play the final day -- provided that they, like the pros, make the cut.

Monterey Peninsula Golf Foundation

Bringing the annual tournament to the peninsula is year-round work. The Monterey Peninsula Golf Foundation, which does business as AT&T Pebble Beach Golf Charities, is the governing body of the tournament. The board appoints an operating committee to run the tournament. Since Bing’s death in 1977, the golf Foundation has been responsible for all aspects of staging the tournament and disbursing funds to be used for charity.

Volunteers

The tournament operation is run by a seven-member executive committee and their assistants. A total of more than 1,000 people put in over 50,000 man-hours each year to stage this annual event. Many of the volunteers have been working on the tournament since it moved to the Monterey Peninsula in 1947; that it is an honor to be a volunteer is unquestioned.

Nowhere is this more evident then the highly prized position of marshal. The “redcoats” get out there on the course at 6:00 and brave the elements to keep the crowds, media and golfers at a good-humored distance. The job requires a blend of patience, timing and golf knowledge. To obtain a position on the marshals team is very hard. There is an on going joke that says that someone has to die before you get to be a tournament marshal. It may be a joke, but the truth is these marshals don’t give up their position for anything.

Corporate Sponsorship

In the early years of the tournament on the Peninsula, it wasn’t too long before major companies began chipping in to help cover expenses for the tournament. It wasn’t long after that the corporate sponsorship starting becoming an area of revenue. In early 1985, AT&T company approached the foundation to explore the idea of sponsoring the tournament at Pebble Beach. After considerable discussion, the Foundation agreed to an association with AT&T. Kathryn Crosby, however, was concerned that the tournament would become a “corporate sideshow” rather than continue as the friendly get-together started by her husband, and withdrew the Crosby name from the tournament. Hence the adopted name AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Bing’s sons, Harry and Nathaniel, have continued their involvement with the tournament and serve on the board of directors.

Monies To Charity

While the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro- Am Charities, the charitable arm of the Monterey Peninsula Golf Foundation, selects a few grants each year, the majority of the proceeds from the tournament are handed over to the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Youth Fund.

Carmel Youth Center

The Carmel Youth Center is a (501-c) non-profit organization formed in 1949 to promote, build and maintain a youth center for the use of young people ages 12-20, who attend or reside in the boundaries of the Carmel Unified School District. The Carmel Youth Center receives no funding from the city of Carmel or any other government agency. All funding arrives from individual donations and grants. The main fund-raiser is supplying volunteers (over 300) to man the concession stands at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Golf Tournament.

The Carmel Youth Center has been working at the Pro-Am Tournament for over 45 years. During those 45 years the community on the Monterey Peninsula have pulled together to ensure that the Center stays in good shape. Individuals from the area volunteer their time and work the concession stands at the AT&T tournament. In return a portion of the profits from these concession stands is donated to the youth center. These volunteers consider it a privilege to help their community and enjoy coming out year after year to help

Eligible players for the American Express Championship are the top 50 players from the Official World Golf Ranking and leaders of the official money lists and orders of merit of the six Federation member Tours not otherwise eligible via the Ranking.

The format for the American Express Championship is 72 holes of stroke play with no cut. The estimated field size is 60-65 players.

The first two years of the American Express Championship, the tournament was held at the Valderrama Golf Club in Andalucia, Spain. Valderrama is a former site of the Ryder Cup and one of the most recognized courses in Europe. This venue set the stage for two memorable and exciting Championships.

In 1999, a sudden death playoff was needed to decide the champion of the inaugural American Express Championship. Tiger Woods, the world's No. 1-ranked player, squared off against the home country favorite, Miguel Angel Jimenez. Both players shot a 10-under-par total of 278 for 72 holes. Woods birdied the first extra hole to secure the title. With his performance at Valderrama, he earned a $1 million first prize and produced his eighth and final victory of 1999.

Mike Weir captured the American Express Championship in 2000. Mike won the title by shooting an 11-under-par total of 277. England's Lee Westwood finished second, two shots back. The victory and a strong showing in The Presidents Cup capped off a great year for Weir.

The 2001 American Express Championship was scheduled to be held from Sept. 11-16 at the Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Mo. The 2001 event was canceled due to the terrorist attacks of September 11.

The 2002 American Express Championship was held at Mount Juliet Conrad in Co. Kilkenny, Thomastown, Ireland. Tiger Woods set a tournament record with a 25-under-par total of 263 to claim victory by one shot over Retief Goosen. The Jack Nicklaus-designed Mount Juliet Conrad layout received high praise from the world's best players.

The 2003 American Express Championship was held at Capital City Club's Crabapple Course in Woodstock, Ga. Tiger Woods claimed his third American Express Championship and eighth World Golf Championships title with a 6-under par total of 274. Tied for second place, two shots back, were Vijay Singh, Stuart Appleby and Tim Herron.

The American Express Championship returned to Mount Juliet Conrad in 2004. Ernie Els recorded an 18-under-par total of 270 that was good enough for a one-shot victory of Thomas Bjorn. The win was Els' second World Golf Championship victory. In 2001, he teamed with Retief Goosen to win the World Cup for South Africa.

Proceeds from the American Express Championship benefit The First Tee, an initiative of the World Golf Foundation which is dedicated to providing affordable and accessible golf to those who otherwise might not have an opportunity to play the game, with a special emphasis on kids. The Championship also helped launch the first First Tee chapter outside of North America. La Canada Golf Club of Andalucia, Spain has been joined by Montreal, Canada and Puerto Rico as First Tee locations outside of the U.S.

The International Federation of PGA Tours, formed in 1996, created the World Golf Championships to enhance the competitive structure of professional golf worldwide while preserving the traditions and strengths of its six member Tours. The member Tours are the Asian Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Southern Africa Tour.

The Asian PGA became the sixth member of the Federation in November 1999, having joined as an associate member in 1998. In March 2000, it was announced that the Canadian Tour had been named an Associate Member of the Federation.