The AT&T: Pebble, Rory, and Justin Rose

PEBBLE BEACH — The course is iconic, Pebble Beach, one of the masterpieces of nature. The comments were enlightening. Words from champions who appreciate the climb to success, Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy.

It is time to remember, to think of people like Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, and no less significantly, Bing Crosby. It is also time to think about the future, about a tournament now called the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am, which begins Thursday with Rory defending his title and Rose trying for another one.

A rite of late winter when great players and bad weather create headlines and history.  

No, it’s not the hang-loose, wise-cracking event it once was, as the Crosby Pro-Am, but it’s still a competition that does more than fill a place on the schedule. As Rose and McIlroy verify.  

“I feel like this is one of those places in the world, though, that you kind of get here and even when it starts blowing 30 miles an hour, you kind of get here and it’s just a good vibe,” said Rose. “So I’m excited to be here.”

So is McIlroy. His year as well as his career may have been built around that long-awaited Masters’ victory, but he is quite willing to talk about Pebble, where he also triumphed in 2025. 

“Historically, I haven’t played Pebble Beach that well,” said McIlroy. “I think winning on a golf course that I hadn’t won on before, hadn’t really contended on before, I feel like it gave me a lot of confidence going into the rest of the season.”

“I think how in control I was with my ball flight, especially in tough conditions last year on that Saturday. It was a massive confidence boost and obviously then went on to play well in that early part of the season, won at The Players, and obviously into the Masters.”

Rory is 36 now, although he may seem older after trying all those years to get the elusive Masters and complete his personal grand slam.  

Rose is 45, which means he has spent more time than Rory trying to get a Masters. And without the same fulfillment. In 2025, Justin was second at Augusta for the third time.

Rose is from England, and McIlroy is also from the British Isles, Northern Ireland. They have traveled the world frequently and have spent considerable time in the United States, yet that doesn’t mean they have lost their old sporting loyalties. 

Rory did pay attention to the big NFL game a few days ago, but that’s about it. “In a way, I appreciated the Super Bowl,” said McIlroy, “because of the defensive capabilities of both teams and especially the Seahawks. But I didn’t grow up with it.”

“I could watch a game of cricket for five days and be mesmerized.”

As they say, different strokes for different folks.