| 15 | Jason Day | He has been perfect in 13 starts, doing his job in all conditions, and that will be important this week (more on that below). A runner-up finish in 2018 highlights eight top-10 finishes. The Australian has also shown enough form of late to be tempting. |
| 14 | Nicolai Hojgaard | Oh, to be 22 again. Despite a short week with a long commute after a T7 at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and essentially unseen at Torrey Pines, he battled to a solo second. It is his third podium finish in five starts worldwide. |
| 13 | Nick Taylor | While Nappy Factor cannot be ruled out as a superpower en route to victory in 2020, he still has three more top-20 finishes in the tournament ahead of him. A low ball flight is a real weapon in strong winds. Great form in the last 12 months. |
| 12 | Beau Hossler | Arguably an outlier compared to others on this site, but there is no denying that the 28-year-old has performed at a high level. A T6 at the Farmers Insurance Open was his sixth top 15 in 11 starts. Was third to T11 in the last two starts here. |
| 11 | Matt Fitzpatrick | Like most, his record is mixed, but highlighted by a consistent T6 two years ago and a T12 at the 2019 US Open. He hit par 11s 14 times in this event, with two 76s and a 79 ruining the other three holes. |
| 10 | JT Poston | It has been a long six years since his most recent visit, so the focus upon his arrival will be on his outstanding form. Eight top-11 finishes in his last 12 starts. On the other hand, his balanced attack also plays a big role when Mother Nature throws a kitchen sink. |
| 9 | Scottie Scheffler | The big advantage of small greens is that average to poor putters can hide from the public eye. He is of course one of the best of his generation when it comes to his tee-to-green play, so he should like the fit in his tournament debut. |
| 8th | Xander Schauffele | First tournament appearance since debuting as a rookie in 2017, but added a T3 at the 2019 US Open at Pebble. He's already had a T10 (Sentry), a T3 (American Express) and a T9 (Farmers) on the board this year. |
| 7 | Tommy Fleetwood | The Englishman's consistent class surpasses statistical analysis in part because he has been successful on all types of tracks, grass surfaces and green spaces. As long as he's in shape, he's a threat. Recorded a win and a T14 in his last two starts in Dubai. |
| 6 | Justin Thomas | Suffice it to say, he got out of his own way and eliminated the demons that were swirling around him in early 2023. In fact, he has put together five consecutive strong performances over a six-month period, most recently a T3 at The American Express. |
| 5 | Viktor Hovland | It's been five years since he qualified for a T12 at Pebble Beach as an amateur at the US Open. He's been 2-for-2 in the tournament since then, with a T13 last year. A winner three times in 2023, including the FedExCup. Correct ball flight for the test. |
| 4 | Max Homa | When he says he enjoys golfing in his home state of California, believe him. That paid off on the coast and at Pebble Beach, where he went T10-T14-T7 in his last three appearances. Nine top 15 rankings worldwide in a row. |
| 3 | Patrick Cantlay | A T56 at the Farmers was disappointing, but that's still a testament to his lack of success there. He has enjoyed the opposite here, with a T3 (2021) and a T4 (2022) embedded in a 6-on-6 roster. Co-owner of the course record at Pebble Beach (62). |
| 2 | Jordan Spieth | Pebble Beach & Co. was a personal playground. With one win (2017), a solo second (2022) and a T3 (2021), he is 11 out of 11 in six top 10s. Arrives this week rested since opening the season with a solo third at The Sentry . |
| 1 | Rory McIlroy | Since simplifying things eight months ago, he's done nothing but argue. And now, after the holiday break, he opens 2024 with a T2 and a win, both in Dubai. First appearance at Pebble Beach since a T9 at the 2019 US Open. |
