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A18 SPORTS
Wednesday 8 February

Pebble players and amateur part- was playing Pebble on

Continuedm from page 17 ners who tend to be far Tuesday, which was only a
practice day. There were
more important, more influ-
ential, more famous and, in small streams on some of
Rodgers feels right at home many cases, who love the the greens. The wind blew
on the frozen tundra, so this game more than the guys so hard that only a wood-
was tame by comparison. who do it for a living. en fence post kept the tee
It’s just that he would have That’s what brings them markers from going over
preferred a day on the golf out, even in weather so the cliff and into the ocean
course that didn’t require nasty that Kelly had to behind the seventh tee.
him to dress in black rain back off his tee shot when It helped that scores didn’t
gear, with black gloves on the wind blew over a metal count, not even Kelly’s
both hands and a black fence. birdie on the fourth hole.
wool cap over his black They had company, Kelly played college hock-
cap. though not a lot. Brian Stu- ey at Hartford and hit what
“I love golf. I’ve only ard played as a single in amounted to a slap shot
played nine holes since front of them. Two groups from the front of the green,
August,” he said. ahead was San Francisco up the spongy slope,
Even so, he said there is Giants pitcher Matt Cain. through a puddle of water
no way he would have He was supposed to play and into the cup.
showed up on the first tee with Nick Watney, and Why bother on a day like
in weather like this. when Watney didn’t show, this?
“Only at Pebble,” Rodgers Cain went out with another “Because it’s there,” Kel-
said. amateur. ly said. “It’s awesome to
PGA Tour veteran Jerry Kelly tees off with a 4-iron into the wind That’s the charm of this Charley Hoffman headed come out here and do this.
on the 106-yard seventh hole at Pebble beach, Calif., on Tues- event. It’s as much about out when the rain began It brings me back to why I
day, Feb. 7, 2017. competition as camara-
Associated Press derie among PGA Tour falling even harder. Wat- play the game. It’s kind of
ney eventually made it out crazy. It’s kind of fun. It’s
there. the stuff you did when you
Tuesday was a precursor were a kid.”
for what could be a rough Crazy was Kelly hitting
week at Pebble Beach, driver, 3-wood and hy-
and the grumbling sure to brid on the par-5 sixth hole
follow by those who don’t and still not reaching the
get it or simply are too green. Crazy was hitting a
pampered. Never mind 4-iron just over the back of
that Pebble has been the green on the 106-yard
blessed with gorgeous seventh hole. Fun was aim-
weather for the better part ing a 3-wood out toward
of a decade. All it takes is a the ocean on No. 8 and
week of rain — sunshine is watching the wind bring it
not in the forecast until the back some 25 yards to the
weekend — for the reputa- green.
tion of “Crosby weather” to Kelly looked back at the
be restored. raging ocean behind him,
The tournament was can- his rain suit soaked, his smile
celed because of a deluge wider than ever.
in 1996. Two years later, “This,” he said, “might be
players had to return in Au- as good as it gets.”
gust to play the third round Only at Pebble.
and make it official. And
don’t forget 1962, when Like us on
it was delayed by snow. Facebook
Jimmy Demaret rolled out
of bed at the Lodge, saw
snow on the 18th green
and said, “I know I had a
lot to drink last night, but
how did I end up in Squaw
Valley?”
It was a wonder anyone facebook.com/bondianoticia