The Loop

The West Coast: Where every lie is a perfect one

February 11, 2010

The weather has dominated the PGA Tour's West Coast swing this year, a point reiterated this week at Pebble Beach, site of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. For the third time in four weeks, preferred lies are in effect, at least for the first three rounds at Pebble Beach.

Only light showers are predicted (on Friday) during the course of the tournament, but persistent rains in recent weeks have softened the courses on the Monterey Peninsula, to the point that golf balls are susceptible to collecting mud when they land.

Preferred lies (aka lift, clean and place, or if you'd rather, lift, clean and cheat) have been in effect at the Bob Hope Classic and the Northern Trust Open. Only the Farmers Insurance Open was spared.

-- John Strege