Winter 2023

asked Crosby how he liked movie acting. Crosby responded: “I don’t really like any kind of work. There are so many other things I’d rather be doing.” Such as? “Oh, playin’ golf up at Pebble Beach—practically anything.” Durein took the lead in writing to Crosby. Crosby thought it was a great idea and in early September 1946 it was announced that he would bring his $5,000, 36-hole National Pro- Am to the peninsula.Which course would host it was yet to be determined. As was the case at Rancho Santa Fe, Bing’s brother Larry would be general chairman and Maurie Luxford, tourna- ment chairman. Locals formed a committee headed by Dan Searle, a 1-handicap golfer and past champion at Monterey Peninsula Country Club (MPCC), to attend to local details. His club agreed to supply the army of volunteers needed to manage the details on the peninsula. In late October, Searle and Durein met with the Crosby team to hammer out the details. It 100 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 3 Photo: Julian P. Graham photo/Pebble Beach Co. Lagorio Archive Photo: William C. Brooks photo/Pebble Beach Co. Lagorio Archive (Above) Sam Snead tees off at the 1948 pretournament golf clinic. Ben Hogan (center) and Jimmy Thompson watch. (Below) In 1969, Crosby presented Maurie Luxford (left) with a trophy for his long service as tournament director.