The new AT&T: Rory McIlroy in place of Bill Murray

PEBBLE BEACH — The Pacific Ocean still is there, crashing against the edge of one of the world’s great golf courses.  And the threat of weather that so often has defined the tournament through the years remains on the horizon and in the forecast.

But so much—virtually everything else—has changed about the event that advanced from the Bing Crosby Pro-Am to the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Basically, it’s gone from Bill Murray, who once tossed a large frozen fish on the 18th fairway to Rory McIlroy, who doesn’t throw out much more than compliments or criticism.

What in effect was a huge party of pars and laughs—chants from the gang at Pebble’s 15th tee—is now a good, old-fashioned competition among many golfers who conveniently avoided the AT&T because of the format and conditions.

Now, for this year’s event, which begins Thursday, as commercials have touted, AT&T has its finest field of pros ever, players such as Scottie Scheffler, No. 1 in the World Golf Rankings, and McIlroy, No. 2. 

Does that compensate for a lack of singers and comedians?

The first two days there will be numerous NFL quarterbacks, including Aaron Rodgers, who won the amateur title a year ago under the old format. But not many Hollywood types.

Will the revisions mean a lot? Who knows? They tell us the key to life is adapting. Fore!