Five years ago, in 2018 to be exact, Ted Potter celebrated his biggest moment in what is now 12 years on the PGA Tour - a victory in the prestigious AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. 

    Ted posted rounds of 68-71-62-69-270, 18 under par at the famed trio of layouts - the Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula. He picked up a cool $1,332,000 for his second career victory, coming some seven years after his first in the now-defunct Greenbrier Open.

    After a disastrous 2021-2022 season that saw Ted only being able to get into nine events, and miss the cut in all nine, Ted has lost his PGA Tour exemption. But he has an opportunity to rise from the ashes this week. As a "past champion" in the Pebble Beach event, he is in the field for the tournament that now has an event-record $9 million in purse money available. Tom Hoge, the defending champ, earned $1,566,000 last year, winning by two strokes over Jordan Spieth when the PB was worth $8.7 million. 

    Ted doesn't have to win this week to get back on track; if he finishes in the top 10 he'll be eligible to play again next week. But based on his play in last season's nine events, added to all the time off since, it appears to be a tall order. Last year, he missed the 54-hole cut with rounds of 76-71-71-218, 2 over par. It took 5 under to make it into Sunday's finale. 

    Gators Tyson Alexander, Brian Gay and Camilo Villegas, and Seminole Hank Lebioda are also playing in this one, Tyson for the first time after recently passing the $1 million mark this season and ensuring he'll get another shot next season no matter what he achieves for the rest of 2023. Villegas tied for 49th last year at 2 under par, collecting $21,089. When Ted won in 2018, Gay tied for eighth at 7 under and banked $185,000. 

    Ted tees off on No. 10 at Spyglass Hill at 8:30 a. m. California time in the company of Brandon Wu and their respective pro-am partners. Tyson's Pebble Beach debut begins on No. 10 at Spyglass at 10:42.   

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