Pebble Beach wins translates to World Challenge success
For the third time since 2000, Pebble Beach Golf Links will be hosting the US Open and during that timeframe, the winner of the major has experienced success at the Hero World Challenge. This year, the US Open returns to Pebble Beach June 13-16.
2000
The 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach is arguably one of the most iconic major tournaments of all time. Tiger Woods set the sporting world on notice with a 15-shot victory. Woods was the only player under par and cruised to victory to earn his third major championship and his first of three US Open titles. Later that year in the Hero World Challenge, Woods played in the final group on Sunday. Playing one group ahead of the tournament host was Davis Love III. In the final round, Love fired his second eight-under 64 round of the tournament and posted a 22-under score for the tournament. Woods finished two shots back in second.
2001
While Pebble Beach didn’t host the US Open in 2001, the course did host its annual PGA TOUR event. Just two months after his final round 64 to capture the 2000 Hero World Challenge, Love shot a nine-under 63 on route to a one-shot victory in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
2003
Two years after his red-hot Sunday to earn the win at Pebble Beach, Love found himself back on 18 green at Pebble Beach as a champion. With a one-shot win over Tom Lehman, Love was a two-time winner at Pebble Beach in a span of three tournaments. The Sunday feeling at Pebble Beach would repeat itself months later as Love used a nine-under round on Saturday to propel him to a two-shot win at Sherwood Country Club. For Love, it was his second victory at Sherwood in three tournaments.
2010
Sunday’s final round during the 2010 US Open resembled the coastal style golf Graeme McDowell came to expect growing up in Northern Ireland. The overcast and breezy conditions led to high scores, with McDowell shooting a three-over 74 in the final round on route to his first PGA TOUR victory and only major championship. Not far behind McDowell was Woods, who started the final round one-shot back of McDowell, and five-shots back of leader Dustin Johnson. Woods would finish tied for fourth in 2010, three shots behind McDowell.
In early December 2010, it was Sherwood Country Club that featured a shootout between McDowell and Woods during the Hero World Challenge. The two men, who had previously won majors at Pebble Beach, found themselves on the final hole and needing to make putts. McDowell rolled in a 25-footer for birdie while Woods matched the defending US Open champion from 12 feet. Tied at 16-under, the two headed back to 18 tee to begin a playoff.
On the first extra hole, McDowell found the bottom of the cup from 30 feet, putting the pressure on Woods, the tournament host, to match his playoff birdie. Woods teased the cup, with his ball ending up just an inch wide, giving McDowell the victory. For McDowell, it was his fourth world-wide victory in 2010.
