When it comes to the toughest golf courses in the world, Pebble Beach is one place likely to get a mention from a number of players on the PGA Tour.
Pebble Beach has been the home to some of the best rounds we’ve seen on the PGA Tour, with Tiger Woods playing some memorable golf there in his prime in the 2000s.
However, in the main, the California course is regarded as one of the toughest places to get a score going, with high winds and uneven lies causing chaos at times.
Of course, one man with a big history at Pebble Beach is six-time major winner, Phil Mickelson.
And while Mickelson has said that Oakmont is the toughest course he’s ever played, he has admitted there’s one hole at Pebble which gives him the jitters.
Phil Mickelson names the toughest hole at Pebble Beach
Back in 2008, Mickelson was asked a number of questions by the media about the toughness of the course at Pebble Beach.
Specifically, he was asked with naming the favourite shot he’s played at the venue but rather than answering that, Mickelson deviated and instead, revealed that hole 18 is bad news for him given his left-handed nature.
“I don’t think one would stand out. I think there’s a bunch that make me nervous,” Mickelson said. “The 18th hole at Pebble makes me nervous because as a left-handed player when I look up and tilt my head, it’s staring right at the water.
“It’s a very nerve-wracking shot. I enjoyed last year having a four-shot cushion. I would try to push for that again.
“But as far as one particular shot as it stands out — one of the best shots? Again, nothing stands out.”
Phil Mickelson’s record at Pebble Beach
While some players on the PGA Tour find Pebble Beach a tough ask, Phil Mickelson has made a habit of winning there plenty of times.
Mickelson has won five times at Pebble Beach in his career and also came third in 2020 at the age of 49.
Mickelson’s wins go as far back as 2005 when he got his first at Pebble, while he followed those up with victories in 2012, 2019, and 2021.
With the tournament for 2025 coming up in just a few weeks’ time, it will be interesting to see if anyone can match the form showed by Mickelson over the years.
As it stands, ‘Lefty’ is the joint record holder with Mark O’Meara for wins at Pebble Beach and that record could take some surpassing in the future.
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