European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 17, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday june 17, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 25 Quot a. ,\vv.s-n magnificent holes like the Par-3 7th above Challenge Golf a elite this week in the . Open at Pebble Beach where Tom Watson hit a the shot against Jack Nicklaus in 1982. Pebble overwhelms Pebble Beach Golf links fans greatest golfers by Jaime Diaz new York times Pebble Beach Calif. In the world of Golf to borrow from an old Jingle everybody does no to like something but nobody does no to like Pebble Beach. Since it was built in 1919 by Jack Neville and Douglas Grant the most contrary on the record criticism of the course came from the usually effervescent Jimmy Dumaret who once carpet a a if you moved Pebble Beach 50 Miles Inland no one would have heard of  fortunately the courses eight Majestic Cliffside holes on the Pacific Ocean Are portable Only in the imagination. Largely because of them along with the More Subtle challenges of 10 Inland holes Pebble Beach where the 92nd . Open will begin on thursday is widely considered both the most Beautiful and most interesting Golf course in the world. Much of its attraction is elemental. Like another most famous course in Golf St. Andrews in Scotland Pebble Beach is open to the Public although it now costs $200 a round to play. For the average player it is a wondrous walk even when its demands become overwhelming. For the tournament player it is a masterpiece of pacing building like a wave that reaches its first Crest at the Par-4 eighth ninth and 10th holes then re gathering for a final surf crashing Crescendo at the 17th and 18th. Most of All Pebble Beach offers the games greatest shot makers fascinating riddles that Force them to Call on All of their artistry. Not just spectacular moments like the dizzying approach Over a chasm of sheer Rock and churning sea on the Par-4 eighth or the lonely tee shot from a narrow Promontory hard against the sea on the 18th. But deceptively difficult ones he the exacting wedge approaches to the third fourth seventh and 14th holes the delicate chips from around the severely sloped 13th and 16th, the92nd . Open mysteriously Blind second to the towering Par-5 sixth. A Pebble is endlessly interesting a said Raymond Floyd who likens the courses rugged natural Quality to Shinn Ecock Hills where Floyd won his Only . Open in 1986. A a it a different every time you play it. In be played it in All types of conditions and its never been quite the same course. As a player you love and respect that  when there is so much reverence and affection for a championship site among great players it often produces a great Victor. Certainly in 1972 and 1982 a the other times Pebble Beach has held the . Open a the winners were the Best players of their times Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. In each championship the winners came to the Ocean framed 209-Yard Par-3 17th Hole on sunday and proceeded to hit what could be called the defining shots of their Stellar careers. In 1972, Nicklaus drilled a 1-Iron through the wind that Short hopped into the base of the flags tick for a kick in Birdie that clinched his third open. Ten years later Watson hit a the shot a a pitch from deep rough to the left of the Green that landed softly on a Slippery Down slope and rolled into the cup for a Birdie that gave him the Lead and kept Nicklaus from a record fifth . Open. Not surprisingly both players Are passionate about Pebble. Nicklaus said he vividly remembers his first glimpse As a 21-year-old before the 1961 . Amateur. A i loved it from the first Day i saw it a said Nicklaus who went on to win the championship in a display of Golf he still Calls one of his finest. In winning five matches he was 20-under Par for 112 holes beating Dudley Wysong in the finals by 8 and 6. A St. Andrews and Augusta Are my favorite Golf places but Pebble is my favorite course in the world a said Nicklaus who has also won what is now called the at amp to Pebble Beach National pro am three times. Watson has played Pebble perhaps More than any other top touring professional and feels even closer to the sacred ground than Nicklaus. When Watson was a Stanford freshman the starter at Pebble Beach Ray Parga was a Friend of his fathers and he used to let the Kansas City native on the course for free. Watson would begin the 75-mile drive from Palo Alto before Sunrise so that he could be the first off the course As a fast striding single at 6 30 . During those idyllic rounds Watson was unwittingly rehearsing for what would become the greatest moments of his career. A i used to pretend that i was neck and neck against Jack Nicklaus in the . Open coming Down to the wire in the last three holes at Pebble Beach a he said. It is probably too much to expect that Nicklaus and Watson will both be in the thick of the Battle again this year. If this years championship again Coronatus the games preeminent player the contenders on sunday will definitely include either the masters Champion Fred couples trying to grab the second leg of the grand slam Davis love Iii seeking his first major championship or Nick Faldo of England striving for his first . Open and fifth major. Meanwhile defending Champion Payne Stewart is hoping to do what Curtis strange accomplished in 1989 a Salvage a mediocre year As . Open Champion by raising his game to repeat. A i will be excited when i get to Pebble because in a starting to have fun on the course again a said Stewart who in recent weeks has played his Best Golf since beating Scott Simpson in an 18-Hole playoff at Hazeltine last year. Whoever emerges As the Victor it will almost surely be under the kind of conditions that the . Golf association believes Best identifies the Best player. A a it a Quot v six rep Guridy k by i us Arlt joins t my a via a