Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1314457
104 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 1 stantly asking: 'What more can I do to help?'" he says, proudly. Actor Michael Peña is one of those guys. Peña, the star of Netflix's "Narcos: Mexico" is a much-loved recent addition to the tournament, joining in 2017. "Some say it's an honor, but I really mean it," he says. When giving interviews during the tour- nament, Peña makes sure to say the names of the volunteers who've assisted him that day, whether they've driven him to the course or helped him locate an errant ball. Gratitude seeps from his voice when he talks about being part of it all. "To show up and play is one thing," he says. "It's another—and this is the important part— to show up for the locals, the causes, and the volunteers who work so hard on this tourna- ment." Peña started golfing 20 years ago as a young, broke actor. He got his break from Clint Eastwood, playing a boxer in "Million Dollar Baby," and has enjoyed steady success from there, eventually leading him to the rolling fair- ways and "postage stamp" greens of Pebble. A six handicap, Peña has shot a shockingly low 76 during the tournament. "There's a mystique around playing Pebble Beach," he says. "I'll never forget the first time I Actors Ray Romano and Bill Murray at the 2019 3M Celebrity Challenge. The well-known "Whiskey Run" holes 1, 2, 3, 17 and 18 are played at Pebble Beach during the popular pre-tournament event. Actor Michael Peña got his break in Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby." He says playing in the Pro-Am is beyond his wildest dreams. Photo: Cal Sport Media /Alamy Stock Photo Photo: MediaPunch Inc /Alamy Stock Photo