Big field. Big course. BIG SCHEDULE CHANGE as this week is WEDNESDAY THRU SATURDAY!
Patrick Reed is back to defend the event title but Jon Rahm was the last man to win on this track at the US Open last June.
Decisions! Decisions!
Farmers Insurance Open 2022
Torrey Pines Golf Club
South Course (host)
La Jolla, California
| Host Course | South Course |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,765 |
| Par: | 72 (36-36) |
| Greens: | Poa annua; 5,000 square feet on average. |
| Stimpmeter: | Tournament speed. |
| Rough: | Kikuyugrass over-seeded with Rye at 3″. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards: | 82/1 (water in play on 18th hole). |
| Architect(s): | William F Bell (1957); Rees Jones (2001- ). |
| Purse: | $8.4 million ($1.512 winner) plus 500 FedExCup points. |
| Defending Champion: | Patrick Reed (-14). |
| Multiple Champion(s) Entered: | Jason Day (2018, 2015); Brandt Snedeker (2016, 2012); Phil Mickelson (2001, 2002, 1993). |
| 72 Hole Tournament Record: | 266; Tiger Woods (1999); George Burns (1987). |
| Course Record: | 62; Tiger Woods (1999). |
| Fact of the Week: | Only five international winners since 1990 |
| Fact of the Week II: | Four of them have won in the last five years. |
| Fact of the Week III: | South Course – 25 acres of fairway. North Course – 18 acres of fairway. |
| Fact of the Week IV: | Only Jon Rahm and Jay Don Blake have won on debut. |
| Torrey Pines | North Course |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,258 |
| Par: | 72 (36-36) |
| Greens: | Bentgrass; 6,000 square feet on average. |
| Stimpmeter: | Same as the South Course. |
| Rough: | Same as the South Course. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards: | 42/0. |
| Architect(s): | William F Bell (1957); Tom Weiskopf redesign (2016) |
Notes:
- Field of 156.
- Play each course once; top 65 and ties play the South Course on the weekend.
- Site of the US Open last year and 2008.
- Municipal golf facility.
2021-2022 Season Winners
| Event | Winner |
| Fortinet Championship | Max Homa |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Sam Burns |
| Shriners Children’s Open | Sungjae Im |
| CJ CUP @ SUMMIT | Rory McIlroy |
| ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Hideki Matsuyama |
| Bermuda Championship | Lucas Herbert (first TOUR win) |
| Mayakoba Championship | Viktor Hovland |
| Hewlett Packard Houston Open | Jason Kokrak |
| The RSM Classic | Talor Gooch (first TOUR win) |
| Sentry Tournament of Champions | Cameron Smith |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Hideki Matsuyama (2) |
| The American Express | Hudson Swafford |
Check out HORSES FOR COURSES for more details on those who play well here.
Event Winners:
| Year/Player/Score * – Playoff | Notes |
| 2021 Patrick Reed (-14) | Won by five as the only player double digits under par; holed everything he looked at! |
| 2020 Marc Leishman (-15) | Career best 65 on the South to steal it from four shots off the pace after 54 holes. |
| 2019 Justin Rose (-21) | Perfect weather = near record scoring as he missed tying the tournament mark by a shot. |
| 2018 Jason Day (-10)* | Defeated Alex Noren and Ryan Palmer in a playoff for his second win at Torrey Pines and second win in a playoff. |
| 2017 Jon Rahm (-13) | Eagled the last to win by three in his FIRST APPEARANCE at the event. |
| 2016 Brandt Snedeker (-6) | Wind event wiped out most of Sunday and Snedeker was already in the clubhouse! |
| 2015 Jason Day (-9)* | Won a four man playoff for his first win at Torrey Pines. |
Last Time – The American Express
Congrats to Hudson Swafford as he is now a two time champion in the Coachella Valley! Bit of a tire fire for me this week but there was a cookie stashed at the bottom if you didn’t give up! Remember, 100% money back guarantee on my FREE SERVICE!
Thanks for reading!
Thoughts on Chalk (My plays will be obvious)
Jon Rahm (+600):Never crazy about monster favorites in a required shootout. If you need more evidence just check what happened at Kapalua! I’m not crazy about betting favorites anyhow but there will be SOME exceptions throughout the season. T14 in a “f*cking putting contest” he said.
Patrick Cantlay (+900): I saw nothing at Kapalua that would sway me the other direction. Course record 61 (by two) last year and 65-61 close for his second top 10 suggests he enjoys the desert. His record at TPC Summerlin completely reinforces this angle. I like 9-1 more than 6-1! 9th as he led after 36 holes.
Scottie Scheffler (+2000): You ain’t until you have and he will, at some stage! Too much talent. Too many low ones. Too many everything. I was convinced it was going to be Yewstin but here we are. MC last year still is puzzling. T25 this time around doesn’t solve any mysteries either.
Sungjae Im (+2200): Puzzling hiccup last week after just a three bogey week at Kapalua. The requirement is to make birdies and nobody made more in the 2021 season than Im. Plays every week so three in a row to open shouldn’t bother him one bit. Top 10 ticket. Closed with 66 but that wasn’t enough to back door me a top 10 as he finished T11. Sad!
Tony Finau (+2500): Co-54 hole leader last year when he was still answering the question of when is his next win coming. He has no problem going low but the question is can he do it all four days. #Putter. T40 as he heads to one of his favorites on TOUR.
Corey Conners (+2800): Gained almost six shots on the field on approach last week and that won’t hurt this week either. Greens are pure and that won’t hurt either. Top 10. Swung. Missed. MC. Flying start.
Abraham Ancer (+2800): Each week we have a form vs. course form discussion to hammer out. Ancer destroys the SC, mostly on Sundays, but hasn’t fired recently on TOUR. I’m hoping the two previous starts in Hawaii have knocked out the kinks and the familiar desert back drop kicks his game back into gear. Top 10. T40 on a place where he feasts has my attention moving forward.
Talor Gooch (+2800): I keep forgetting he won RSM to close the first part of the season. The first one allows the big SIGH and it’s ok to go spend a few of them dollars! MC.
33-1 or Worse Select Opinions
Russell Henley (+3500): Exactly his price last week that I was all over but we know how that played out! I like him more next week at Torrey Pines, another site of 54 hole magic recently for him, as opposed for having to make 26 more birdies this week. Nice bounce back with T14. Sadly, not returning to Torrey this week.
Patrick Reed (+4000): Former champ who played the final 54 holes at Kapalua well will have to have a career week ball-striking to win again. T55.
Matthew Wolff (+4000): Will not and cannot talk you out of him and I’m going in at this price as well. Loves a bit of desert golf (see Las Vegas the last two years) and is shit fire hot. 3 way action. Win, Top 10 and Top 20. Burn the tickets! MC.
Seamus Power (+4000): In the form of his life for the last almost 12 months. Nothing stopping him again this week from another top 10. T14 after playing his first six holes 5-over on Sunday. Ouch, babe.
Si Woo Kim (+5000): Only Johnny Miller has defended. Impossible to go back-to-back on courses which give up this many low scores. Another top 25 this season wouldn’t surprise me though. Love Pete Dye, T11.
Rickie Fowler (+5000): Worth a punt at this price after seeing him post 21-under after three rounds at The Summit Club. Opening his season here for the third time in three years and is 29-under his last two visits. 3 way action. Another ticket to the trash can. MC. I might just sit this event out next year haha.
Cameron Tringale (+5500): Form vs. Course Form Part II this week! T43 is his recent best here. MC isn’t going to help that record in the desert.
Will Zalatoris (+5500): Something to be said that his top 10s recently are majors or WGC events. This doesn’t qualify haha. And of course he bangs a top 10 with T6!
Michael Thompson (+8000): Converging GREAT trends! T5 last week and two top 10s in his last three here including T5 in 2021. Top 10 again! No, not top 10. MC.
Luke List (+9000): Veteran bomber T17 or better in four of his last six to close 2021 but his record here is less than stellar. T22 with best round on the easiest course.
Funny Money
Adam Hadwin (+9000): For the brand HFC; desert dawg. T25
Bassy Munoz (+11000): Super putter on a wide open desert track. MC
Hayden Buckley (+11000): No wind? I’m in. Quietly stacking early paper this season. MC as he didn’t break 70.
Adam Svensson (+125000): Some of his best rounds and finishes on TOUR are at Sony and AMEX. This week is AMEX. T49 after 75 on Sunday.
Doug Ghim (+14000): 5 straight paydays on TOUR plus T1 GIR and T5 here last year. Six straight but 73-73 weekend wasn’t it, fam. T59
Brendan Steele (+15000): His backyard. Home game. MC and didn’t have far to go home.
Francesco Molinari (+20000): T12 or better in three of five here. Season opener again. Top 10 and Top 20 just in case! HOLY SHIT WE FINALLY CASHED A TICKET. T6 FRANNY BABY.
Henrik Norlander (+22500): Hit it great here last year for T12. T63 BUT DID YOU SEE MOLINARI????
This Week – Farmers Insurance Open
Time for golf.
Rough. Poa. Tight fairways. Big field.
Hard fairways to hit, recovery shots gotta find the green. Gotta two putt and get out.
With four Par-5 holes on the menu on both courses, gotta score there to knock off some of the bogeys.
Kikuyugrass make for difficult recovery shots and chipping around the greens. Holing putts on Poa is always an adventure.
Last three winners have started on the North and all have posted 68 or better. Rose shot 63, Reed 64 and Leishman 68 to break an eight year run of winners starting on the South Course.
Weather always plays a part here. Morning marine layer is cool and that makes for cold hands and everything else. The ball doesn’t like it either and that will lengthen a monster of a course already.
Saturday and Sunday on the South Course will identify a proper winner. No funny business with 61 or 62 on a track stretching almost to 7,800 yards.
I’m looking for guys who can handle the breeze, have length and can grind out pars. Those who don’t have it tee to green better be in the Reed-Day-Sneds short game HOF to contend. The birdie brigade gets the week off.
The leader boards here are always loaded because the golf course is hard and cream rises and the best players know that before they tee off.
Good luck.
Thoughts on Chalk (My plays will be obvious)
Jon Rahm (+700): I’m not sure which is crazier: 6-1 on him last week in THAT field or 7-1 this week in THIS field??? This is his spiritual home and he plays like it. If I’m going to bet a favorite, it’s this guy, this week. So I will. Win ticket.
Justin Thomas (+1600): Banging out top 10s for fun as he does, he returns here for the first time since 2015 (MC). His T10 debut in 2014 feels like 20098208 years ago but his T19 at the US Open might be a clue as to why he added it to his schedule.
Bryson DeChambeau (+2000): Played here twice and MC before blowing up on the final nine holes of the US Open. This number is PUBLIC DRIVEN, not golf driven as he struggled at WIDE OPEN Kapalua and didn’t factor at the Hero. Crooked this week won’t work again no matter how far you hit it #Kikuyu.
Xander Schauffele (+2000): No top 10 in his last four anywhere but hard to ignore T2 here last year followed by T7 US Open. I don’t like guys as much at home (too many distractions) as much as others.
Hideki Matsuyama (+2200): No past history at Sony? No problem, winner. No history at Farmers (one top 10 from eight), no problem? Top 10 ticket for a HEAT CHECK.
Dustin Johnson (+2500): Oh, hey, welcome back! Haven’t seen him since CJ CUP AT SUMMIT (T42). Hasn’t played here since 2017 and his only top 10 in nine starts was 2011. Interesting place to start the season.
Sam Burns (+2500): T21 in his last nine starts worldwide. Not much happening here with T18 the best from four tries and a MC at the US Open. Careful.
Tony Finau (+2500): If Rahm wasn’t in the field this would be the no-brainer selection for me. He’s never finished worse than T24 here and in his last five starts it is T6 or better in four. His part of the world and his strength: Tee to green with power over precision. 3 way action.
Daniel Berger (+2500): Every week we have a course form versus current form argument. STEP RIGHT UP, DANIEL! Hasn’t played here since 2019 ended a 3 straight MC run but returned for T7 at the US Open. Since the US Open 5 of 8 have gone for top 10s. Better nibble a top 10 just to make sure I’m not left out.
Scottie Scheffler (+2800): Top 10s at Harding Park and Torrey Pines makes him appealing this week as he’s not bothered on this coast. Has all the tools to make noise again this week. Top 10.
33-1 or Worse Select Opinions
Brooks Koepka (+3500): It’s soooooooooooooooo tempting every week, isn’t it? Save him for Scottsdale where he defends and will be the center of attention, just as he likes it.
Marc Leishman (+3500): Course horse, his time of year with three top 10s in his last six, Ben Everill loves him as well! T27 or better in nine of 11 paydays in 12 starts. Top 10.
Will Zalatoris (+3500): 6 rounds here and nothing worse than 72. Proper grinder on a proper grinder’s course. T6 last week.
Patrick Reed (+5000): His short game has to be perfect if he’s spraying it all over the shop. Only Phil and Tiger have defended this century so that’ a bit much for me.
Jordan Spieth (+5000): Last victory was on a difficult Valero Texas Open track. Best result here is T19 in 2014 but he’s back for a fourth consecutive season. Weird.
Max Homa (+6600): Big tracks (Quail) and Poa (Riviera) don’t bother him much. Last two T18-T9 here suggest he’s close. 3 way action.
Lanto Griffin (+7000): Course form meets current form. Top 10s in three of his last five and T7 and T12 here in three starts in the last four years. Ride it! Top 10, Top 20.
Francesco Molinari (+8000): T6 last week and was in the fight late plus T13 US Open = Top 20 at least.
Ryan Palmer (+8000): Favorite sub-100 play this week as he brings it here annually. 62 on the North, 2nd round leader or co-leader, playoff loser, etc. He’s done everything but win! Top 10.
Funny Money
Mackenzie Hughes (+10000): Final group of the US Open, right?
Jason Day (+10000): For the brand HFC!
Tom Hoge (+10000): Another with recent heat and a bit of success here. Water gets deeper this week after solo second in the desert.
Brandt Snedeker (+12500): Does he have enough to cover 7,800 yards three out of four days? His current form is better than Day’s!
Joseph Bramlett (+17500): Hitting it great and won’t need to worry about putting his socks off this week.
Aaron Rai (+22500): Should be around for the weekend.
JJ Spaun (+27500): Making more cuts than he’s missing and he’s local.
Sahith Theegala (+30000): Pepperdine. SoCal.
Nick Taylor (+30000): Gut pick. Hey, everyone is allowed one!
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out through Twitter or email me mikeglasscott@gmail.com.
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