Pebble Beach Pro-Am Is Heading for a Monday Finish, Which Won't Be Easy for Unproven Leaders

The weather-delayed third round will finish on Sunday, when conditions still should be challenging.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – It won’t be until Monday before a winner is crowned for this year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, as windy conditions at two holes at Monterrey Peninsula Country Club became unplayable and forced a suspension of play on Saturday.

When the players return on Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. local time it will be to a different golf course, wet from overnight rains while the wind continues to blow – the breeze is forecasted for a consistent 10 to 15 mph, with gusts of up to 27 mph, but from a different direction.

Keith Mitchell, who stopped playing on the 11th hole at Pebble Beach, was looking forward to his stint from the 11th through the 16th as birdie holes, with the wind more favorable on that stretch, but Mother Nature has thrown a curve ball for Sunday and the wind should be different from how they played it on Saturday.

“Wind looks like it's going to be switched tomorrow, so now I'll be playing 11 through pretty much almost through 18 straight into the wind,” Mitchell said. “All the holes are cut for a south wind. We figured we were going to be done in three days. So, the rules officials were smart, they put the holes where they're supposed to be. So, there's definitely going to be some tough hole locations with a different wind.”

Playing in his sixth AT&T, Mitchell has had marginal success with his best finish last year a T12, but in his three Sundays at Pebble, he’s only averaged a final-round 71.

Keith Mitchell (left), currently tied for second, has formed a comfortable pairing with pro-bowl quarterback Josh Allen (right).  / USA Today

For leader Peter Malnati, his Pebble Beach experience on Saturday was from what dreams are made: 6-under through 12 holes, including three consecutive birdies before the weather delay.

“I got to play eight holes before the weather got bad,” Malnati said. “So that was nice. Pebble, it's hard if you're out of position, but it's gettable if you're playing well. I've been playing pretty well this week, which is nice.”

Malnati knows all about the foibles of Pebble Beach, in his eight previous appearances, the 35-year-old has made four cuts and never had an even-par or better round on Sunday.

“I'm going to always err on the optimistic side because I think I have more fun that way,” Malnati said of his approach towards his second possible PGA Tour victory. “It's just part of my nature anyway. So, I don't know that that really helps that much if you're not playing well, but at least I'm not going to be miserable out there either way.”

The amateurs will not be required to tee it up on Sunday since the Pro-Am competition will be reduced to 54 holes.

For Mitchell, who has partnered with Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen for the pro-am competition, the reduction to 54 holes is not welcome.

Allen, whose Bills lost to the Cincinnati Bengals just two weeks ago, is a calming influence for Mitchell and his presence will be missed.

“He's kept me loose,” Mitchell said of Allen. “We had a lot of fun. Kind of forget where you are sometimes. Helping him read putts or hit shots it kind of takes you out of your thought process and kind of hits the reset button.”

When asked if Allen would be around for the third-round finish, Mitchell hadn’t talked to the NFL pro bowler, but was sure of his appearance.

“The guy was out practicing in the rain and the wind this afternoon when everybody was inside,” Mitchell said of Allen. “So, I don't know. I can't imagine him not showing up. The weather's better tomorrow morning than in Buffalo right now, I can promise you that.”

The Sunday forecast for Buffalo: high of 40 degrees, wind up to 18 mph and possible rain. It should indeed be a little more playable at Pebble on Sunday, but it still won’t be easy.