Pebble Beach Is Back: AT&T Pro-Am Preview, Best Bets, Course Breakdown, and What to Expect

Football season’s done, and the PGA Tour is wasting zero time pulling you back in with a classic: the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the first Signature Event of the year, starting tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026).

This tournament is equal parts:

• “iconic ocean views and postcard golf”

• “tiny greens and big numbers if you miss your spots”

• and “an absolutely stacked field” because Signature Event money and points make everyone suddenly available.

Let’s get you ready — course details, format, big names, last year’s winner, and betting angles (with responsible-gambling vibes).

The Basics: Dates, Format, Purse, Courses

When it is

Thursday–Sunday, Feb. 12–15, 2026. 

Purse / stakes

A $20 million purse with $3.6 million to the winner.

Format (Signature Event version)

This is a limited-field, no-cut Signature Event. Players rotate between Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill in the first two rounds, then finish the weekend at Pebble.

The two-course setup

Per the PGA Tour preview:

• Pebble Beach Golf Links: Par 72, 6,989 yards

• Spyglass Hill: Par 72, 7,071 yards 

Course records to know

• 72-hole tournament record: 265 (Brandt Snedeker, 2015)

• 18-hole records: Pebble 60 (Wyndham Clark, 2024); Spyglass 62 (Phil Mickelson, 2005; Luke Donald, 2006)

Last Year’s Winner: Rory McIlroy (and why it mattered)

Rory McIlroy won in 2025 and the win ended up being the launchpad for a monster year. Reuters notes that Pebble helped kickstart a run that included The Players Championship and ultimately a Masters win to complete the career Grand Slam.

Tournament organizers highlight that Rory’s 2025 win included a dramatic early highlight (a hole-out on Spyglass) and a strong finish to seal a two-shot victory.

So yes: he’s the defending champ, and it’s not “just another stop.”

Who’s in the Field: The Headliners You’ll See on the Broadcast

You don’t need to memorize all 80 names — here’s the “top of the billboard” group that ESPN specifically calls out:

• Scottie Scheffler

• Rory McIlroy

• Justin Rose

• Tommy Fleetwood

• Chris Gotterup 

And from the PGA Tour’s own preview, storylines include: Rose (recently winning at Torrey Pines), Fleetwood/Lowry making early-season starts, and a Signature-Event qualification system that pulls in top performers and Aon Swing 5 qualifiers.

What Pebble Demands (and why it creates chaos)

This isn’t a “bomb it 340 and wedge it close all day” course for everyone.

Pebble’s big themes this week:

• precision > power (shorter layout, tiny targets)

• poa annua greens (putting can feel like putting on broccoli if you’re not comfortable)

• wind / coastal weather can turn a normal hole into a survival test

Even McIlroy pointed to ball-flight control and putting on poa as key ingredients to winning here.

How to Watch (so you don’t miss the best parts)

ESPN’s viewing rundown:

• Coverage begins 11:30 a.m. ET Thursday and Friday

• 11:00 a.m. ET Saturday

• 10:45 a.m. ET Sunday

• Streaming through the ESPN App / ESPN streaming hub, with first-round coverage also on Disney+.

Betting Preview: Best Golfers to Bet This Week (Outright + value angles)

Tier 1: The favorites (if you want to bet “the obvious”)

Scottie Scheffler is the clear chalk favorite around +290 / +300. Rory McIlroy sits in the next group around +1300 / +1400.

How to play it:

• If you hate volatility, Scheffler is the “safest” outright — but the number is short.

• Rory is the “defending champ narrative + course comfort + momentum” play, with better payout.

Tier 2: The “I want a real number but still elite” bucket

From Golf Channel’s odds list, this tier includes guys like:

• Tommy Fleetwood (+2800ish)

• Justin Rose (+2800ish)

• Viktor Hovland (+2700ish)

• Xander Schauffele (+2500ish)

Why these make sense at Pebble: you’re usually betting control golfers—players who can flight it down, hit greens, and keep bogeys off the card.

Tier 3: Value / longshot angles people are talking about

If you want something spicier, Golf Channel highlighted:

• Maverick McNealy as a win pick in their preview (+2900 range)

• Pierceson Coody as a longshot idea (+5700 range)

And other preview coverage has floated “form + fit” types like Russell Henley/Hovland/Kim as interesting angles as well.

My simple betting card (non-crazy, built for Pebble)

If you want a clean, realistic approach:

1. Outright (1 pick): Rory McIlroy (defend + Pebble comfort)

2. Outright/value (1 pick): Viktor Hovland or Tommy Fleetwood (tier-2 payout)

3. Placement bet (Top 10 / Top 20): pick a steady “ball-striker/accuracy” name rather than chasing 80/1 chaos

(And if you’re betting: set a budget, don’t chase, and keep it fun.)

What to Expect This Week

• A leaderboard that stays bunched because Pebble rarely lets anyone cruise for 72 holes.

• A “stars show up” vibe because it’s a Signature Event with a massive purse.

• Sunday pressure where one missed green can turn into bogey fast — and that’s how you get drama.