The Starter: Round 3, AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

text size

Feb. 13, 2010

The third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am is set to begin. Here's a look at Saturday's round:

Groups We're Watching

Tee time	Players
12:39 p.m. ET, Monterey, No. 10		Retief Goosen, Padraig Harrington Padraig took advantage of easier Pebble Beach on Friday and enters the weekend only two shots back of the leaders.
11:44 a.m. ET, Pebble Beach, No. 10		Kevin Sutherland, Paul Goydos Goydos, tied for the lead at 10 under, gets his crack at Pebble on a perfect day for scoring in the third round.
11:11 a.m. ET, Spyglass Hill, No. 1		Dustin Johnson, D.J. Trahan Johnson is one of six players tied at 10 under, but he faces the most difficult course in the rotation in the third round.

EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR NETWORK on-site correspondent Mark Carnevale previews Saturday's third round:

The players that have played Monterey Peninsula C.C. and Spyglass Hill will be praying that they get the same weather that the first two waves have gotten at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

If they get unlucky, the players who have already played at Pebble will have had a huge advantage, and unless someone gets very hot, the leaders going into the final round will come from the waves playing at Spyglass and Monterey Peninsula. If they get a break, then Sunday could be one heck of a shootout.

Saturday's forecast

Sunny
Temp: 63 high/45 low

I can't tell you how fortunate we are to be at Pebble Beach in this wonderful weather conditions. I have been here for many years and have never seen it this nice for this long. If the forecast is correct, we have been very lucky.

Look for David Duval to continue his solid play this week on Saturday. I followed him during the second round and he looks relaxed and confident. He, along with caddy Mitch Knox consulted on every shot and this helped David get to the top of the board. Continue to expect Dustin Johnson to contend. Johnson wants to validate his rain-shortened win here in 2009.

INSTRUCTOR'S CORNER: Steve Voguit, head instructor at the TOUR Academy at World Golf Village, analyzes the playing conditions this week.

The players are definitely showing up for the challenge at the 2010 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro Am. With under par scores moving into double digits after Round 2, it is making for a go-low or go-home weekend.

This week's tournament is hands-down one of the most fun to watch, with the standard excellence portrayed by the TOUR players, combined with the most entertaining field of amateur golfers including the likes of comedian Bill Murray. One benefit to watching this week has been seeing the difference between a TOUR player's shot choice around the green versus an amateur's.

One of the best places to learn from TOUR players is around the greens. TOUR players have a myriad of shot choices around a green, using everything from a trusty sand wedge to their hybrid clubs. A great shot that illustrates the benefits of using different clubs is a bump-and- run.

The advantage of this shot is the ability to use a simple putting motion, thereby decreasing the overall risk. The best way to illustrate this would be to take a pitching wedge and 6-iron out to the practice green using the following technique: Grip down on the club and place the ball towards the back of your stance. While using a putting motion, switch back and forth between the two clubs, noticing how much more the 6-iron rolls versus the wedge.

The Film Room

	PGA TOUR Today John Swantek breaks down the second round of the 2010 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and looks ahead to the weekend. Watch it
	Round 2 highlights Six players are tied for the lead going after Round 2 of the 2010 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Watch it
	Duval in contention Duval spoke to the press about his back problems and his position heading into the weekend at Pebble Beach. Watch it