He was gracious, personable, responsive, and just plain likeable — while they were relentless, probing, and perhaps even boorish. He, being the back-to-back and current AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am champion, Dustin Johnson. They, being select members of the media, who seemingly wouldn’t let up in their questioning about his bunker mishap at last summer’s PGA Championship. “It was just a weird situation, that’s all,” he told them, at last month’s media day and press conference to promote the AT&T tournament.
Also on the dais with Johnson were the Senior Execs from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, Ollie Nutt, and Steve Worthy, who presented state of the tournament and related promotional information. Worthy noting that spectator cell phones would be allowed in designated areas as part of a PGA Tour experiment. Among other citations were the Birdies for Charity and Military programs, along with the new Fairway Club, an upgraded hospitality tent. Nutt, indicated a four-year extension with the Monterey Peninsula Country Club, and presented information about an economic study that revealed the 2010 tournament contributed some $66 million to the local economy.
But it was perhaps former 49er, Harris Barton, who stole the spotlight. “This is one of the greatest events an amateur can play, so when you get invited to this, you do it,” he told the crowd of media and other attendees. “And when they ask you to do something for charity, you do it!” Barton will be team captain at this week’s Charity shoot-out pitting himself and former 49ers Ronnie Lott, Dwight Clark, and Jerry Rice against the San Francisco Giants team of Mike Krukow, Duane Kuiper, Matt Cain, and Aubrey Huff. When asked about the playing ability of his teammate, Ronnie Lott, Barton replied, “if he doesn’t play well, he’ll just knock the crap out of somebody.” Barton has made the cut three times in the A&T playing with different professional partners. “The nervousness on the first tee hasn’t changed,” he admits.
Charity Shoot-Out, Feburary 8th, at 1:30, Pebble Beach
