NFL fans needed to do a double take Wednesday:
Peyton Manning and Bill Belichick – whose long history on the football field rivals any Rules of Golf manual – in the same practice-round group at Pebble Beach?
Awkward.
Here’s Golf Channel reporter Todd Lewis with proof:
Holy Omaha! Manning and Belichick playing prax round together for@attproam. Love of game trumps rivalry. pic.twitter.com/kHdtJ0KYc1
— Todd Lewis (@ToddLewisGC) February 5, 2014
The San Francisco Chronicle speculated that the connection was likely because of Bill Perocchi, the Pebble Beach CEO who is a Boston-area native and avid Patriots fan, and probably had a hand in Manning’s 11th-hour addition to the event.
Still, it was an odd sight, indeed – especially after Manning’s Broncos eliminated Belichick’s Patriots in the AFC Championship game.
Of course, all sanity will be returned to the sports world Thursday, when Belichick will play alongside his own quarterback – Tom Brady – in the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Their PGA Tour pros are James Driscoll and Ricky Barnes.
Manning, meanwhile, will be grouped with second-year PGA Tour pro Scott Langley.
