My Five: Pebble Beach's Finest Moments

By Jaime Diaz

February 9, 2011

Since it first started holding U.S. Opens at the relatively late date of 1972, Pebble Beach has been the most dramatic stage in the game. The buffeting winds off the Pacific and genius design along an emerald peninsula force players to dig deep into their shotmaking toolbox. When they are able to pull off something special in the deciding stage of a tournament, the whole package makes for moments that last in golf's memory bank. Here are my favorite five.

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1. Tom Watson, 1982 U.S. Open

Before hitting arguably the greatest short game shot in golf history, Watson was tied with Jack Nicklaus with two holes to play. On the 209 yard 17th, he slightly pulled a 2-iron that ended in heavy greenside rough about 15 feet from the pin. From a downhill lie and with the green sloping away from him, Watson decided that his only chance to get the ball close was to hit the flagstick. Deftly getting his 56-degree sand wedge under the ball, he landed it softly. When it kissed the stick and dropped, Watson charged around the green pointing at his caddie, Bruce Edwards, while Nicklaus, watching on a television monitor behind the 18th green, was crestfallen. An "excuse me" birdie on the last gave Watson a two -stroke victory and his only U.S. Open.

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