PEBBLE BEACH >> For a few precious hours on an overcast Thursday morning, memories of the Crosby Clambake were rekindled.

The cool and cloudy conditions are an expectation. But for the casual golf fan, so is catching a glimpse of a star from another sport or profession on the famed Pebble Beach links.

Two individuals from different parts of that contingent — one an athlete, the other a singer — enjoyed two days together, canvassing 36 holes at the AT&T Pebble Beach-Pro-Am.

Former Lakers’ star Pau Gasol and country music star Eric Church graced the greens of Pebble and Spyglass in front of a gallery of stargazers.

The 78-year-old tournament — some locals might suggest a Monterey Peninsula tradition — has been altered the past two years with it becoming a signature event on the PGA Tour.

As a result, the 80 best golfers on the planet are in one spot, chasing a $20 million purse. But it came with consequences, as the celebrity portion was trimmed to a sprinkling of names fans might recognize.

“I don’t like it,” said Glenn Pesenhofer of Pacific Grove. “This was an historic event. It has a long history. Sure you’re getting the best golfers. But I do miss the celebrities. History matters to me. As a kid growing up in New York, I’d watch it on TV. I knew people that would go to the pairing sheet in the paper and go to the course they were playing on. It’s just different now.”

While it’s taken some getting used to, Thursday felt like a throwback moment when Church and Gasol were the primary reasons fans were following the foursome.

Gasol’s 7-foot frame turned heads the minute he got ready to hit a shot with what looks more like a pencil against his lengthy legs than a golf club.

Church, a 10-time Grammy nominee, seemed in his comfort zone on the links, mixing it up with spectators between holes, basking in a moment when he sank an 18-foot putt at Pebble on Thursday.

The two understood the importance of interacting with fans, posing for pictures, providing memories to two different fan bases that came to catch a glimpse of them.

“I like the quality of golf they are bringing,” three-time Olympic bobsledder Nick Cunningham said. “But I miss the celebrity antics that made golf relatable to the rest of us. People got excited about golf at the Pro-Am. With this format, it’s kind of quiet.”

Gasol, who helped the Lakers to two NBA championships, stopped and took selfies with young fans eager to just stand next to the Olympian.

It’s not that the game didn’t mean anything to them. Church cherished his putt on the eighth hole at Pebble, while Gasol was conscious of his pro partner’s attempt to remain focused.

Neither were contenders for the Pro-Am portion of the tournament. Yet, both left an imprint by simply providing fans what the event has been about for nearly eight decades.

Church made eye contact with fans, shook hands, and asked them how they were doing. He stopped, took pictures at nearly every hole.

Gasol was a little more subdued, aware of his surroundings in not wanting to be a distraction, yet polite as his wife walked the course along the ropes.

The two brought magical moments to a gallery, even if their games struggled. While both are relatively new to the Pro-Am, they were like ambassadors for the amateur portion.

“To have a Sunday shootout at Pebble Beach with the best players in the world is a dream for most golf fans,” said Carmel resident Alan Shipnuck, a best-selling author of seven books on golf. “But locally, the feeling is very different. The fun-loving celebrities brought the crowds. What used to be a freewheeling week-long party now feels more corporate and sober. It’s a big time tournament now, not the Clambake.”

Gasol and Church restored the tradition for at least two days, showing that celebrities are still a key ingredient to the tournament, even if it’s just for two days.

The pair were a lifeline to the past, when celebrities were the toast of the tournament, perhaps subconsciously sending a message that they have a role in helping support charities — which was Crosby’s mission the minute he launched this tournament.