Liberty National boss takes 5th in Pebble Beach event

For 70 years, the PGA Tour’s event at Pebble Beach in northern California has paired celebrities and CEOs with Tour pros in a four-day pro-am format that intertwines with the regular event.

Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, Patriots coach Bill Belichick, quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning, and singers Justin Timberlake and Toby Keith were among the celebrity players.

But all weekend, the leaderboard also featured Dan Fireman, the president of Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City.

This already was primed to be a big year for that club, as it will host the prestigious President’s Cup from Sept. 26-Oct. 1. That event is similar to the Ryder Cup, except that instead of the best U.S. players competing against Europe, the Americans challenge those from the rest of the world such as Jason Day of Australia and Hideki Matsuyama of Japan.

Club members got an early-year boost, however, with Fireman’s efforts. He stood second at one point in Saturday’s round and finished a strong fifth. Fireman played with pro Trey Mullinax, shooting a total of 27 under par while accounting for Fireman’s golfing handicap.

The winners were TV host Carson Daly and Ken Duke at 33 under par, two shots ahead of Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Kevin Streelman (who has Glen Rock roots). Third at 29 under par went to the teams of Jordan Spieth (who won the pro event) and musician Jake Owen and also actor Josh Duhamel and Tony Finau.