| The stunning Monterrey Bay peninsula is home to the | | | | luxurious facility. In addition, the famous Pebble Beach |
| Pebble Beach golf links and is one of the finest places | | | | golf links have since played host to some of the most |
| to sink your golf tees. This regular stop for celebrities | | | | treasured days of golf for pros and amateurs alike. |
| and the PGA tour was opened in 1919 by F.B. Morse, a | | | | The 1926, the Monterey Peninsula Open was hosted |
| distant cousin of the telegraph inventor Samuel Morse. | | | | by the Del Monte on Pebble Beach. The incredible |
| The land was acquired through his company, Del | | | | $5,000 purse brought top golfers from all over the |
| Monte Properties. Holdings of the company included | | | | country to California. The win went to Harry Cooper |
| thousands of acres of Del Monte forest, as well as | | | | from Texas. But back then, the only way to see the |
| the Del Monte Hotel, which was later purchased by the | | | | tournament was to be there. Televised coverage of |
| U.S. government and is now the Naval Post Graduate | | | | the National Pro-Am and other golf tournaments didn't |
| School. | | | | occur until the late 1950s, beginning with Bing Crosby, |
| Before Morse's death on May 10, 1969, he ensured the | | | | an avid golfer himself, presenting the last round from |
| procurement of easements preserving the forest and | | | | the 18th hole in 1958. |
| much of the coastline for future generations. Since | | | | The timeless beauty and challenging links at Pebble |
| then, the company's holding has grown to now include | | | | Beach still play host to golf's greatest tournaments. |
| resorts, a spa, and several golf courses, including one | | | | Among them, Pebble Beach was the official site of the |
| designed by Jack Nicklaus. The Pebble Beach | | | | US Open in 2009. Pebble Beach will host the |
| property is so vast that it now employs more than | | | | AT&T Pro-Am in 2010, as a stop on the PGA |
| 1,600 people. | | | | tour. Champion Dustin Johnson will defend a title for |
| The Lodge once burned to the ground, but it was | | | | which he won over $1 million last year. |
| quickly replaced with a more modern and far more | | | | |
