If you’re an avid golf fan, you know that Phil Mickelson exclusively uses a silver dollar coin as a ball marker when he plays at Pebble Beach.
Didn’t know that? Here’s why.
“Al Santos, Phil’s grandfather, was an original caddie at Pebble Beach from the time he was about 10 years old, earning 35 cents a loop,” said Steve John, CEO of Monterey Peninsula Foundation. “He was once tipped with a silver dollar which he kept in his pocket, occasionally rubbing it between his fingers to feel a little richer and better off than he was at the time. The same coin was eventually given to Phil, who today uses the original as a ball mark only when playing here at Pebble Beach.”
To celebrate Mickelson’s five victories at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, which serves as the event’s host, and a Carmel-by-the-Sea artist have created a silver dollar coin that will be presented to the amateurs in the field at the 2020 tournament, held Feb. 6-9 at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course and Monterey Peninsula Country Club.
Local artist Ashley Bennett-Stoddard modeled the coin to be the exact size and weight of the Mickelson’s grandfather’s silver dollar.
“Working on this project brought me back to my roots and the legacy that my father left behind,” Bennett said. “He was a world-renowned sculptor who loved golf and created works for many tournaments and legends of the game. May this little token be a reminder of Phil’s grandfather and the sentiment that hard work, passion, and determination afford us a life to do what we love.”
Mickelson will be on-hand to defend his 2019 title, alongside two-time tournament winners Dustin Johnson and Brandt Snedeker, as well as 2017 champion Jordan Spieth.
