The Farmers Insurance Open
Torrey Pines Golf Club, San Diego, CA.
The South Course, 7,698 yards, par 72, the North Course, 7,052, par 72
Defending champion: Jason Day.
Day defeated J.B. Holmes, Harris English and Scott Stallings in a playoff last year. Shot -9. That win propelled Day to a huge year as he won the RBC Canadian Open, the Barclays and the BMW Championship, both in the Fed Ex Cup playoffs, and won his first major, the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin.
500 Fed Ex points
Fed Ex points leader: Kevin Kisner
TV: Today-Friday: Golf Channel: 2PM-6PM CT/3 PM-7 PM ET.
Saturday: Golf: 12 PM-1:30 PM CT/1 PM-2:30 PM ET; CBS: 2 PM-5 PM CT/3 PM-6 PM ET
Sunday: Golf: 12 PM-1:30 PM CT/1 PM-2:30 PM ET; CBS: 2 PM-5:30 PM CT/3 PM-6:30 PM ET.
Weather: Today: Sunny, 67, wind WNW @ 5 MPH gusting to 12. Friday: 69, Sunny, Wind WNW 5-8 MPH. Saturday: 66, Sunny, Wind: WSW, 6-10 MPH. Sunday: 61, Could be some rain, and windy in the afternoon with winds 15 MPH from the WNW, and gusts up to 31 MPH. Will be an interesting Sunday. Chance of rain, 65%.
The South Course is the crown jewel in Southern California, so I'll briefly discuss some key holes on the South. It was designed by William Bell in 1957 and upgraded by Rees Jones in 2001. It hosted the 2008 U.S. Open where Eldrick won on a broken leg. He let everybody know it was broken after every shot. "Owwww!"
No.12, 504 yards, par 4
The players enter the really serious part of the course. What's notable about the South Course is the thick and high rough. No. 12 has many trees left and right to contend with off the tee , deep bunkers flanking the front left and front right of the greens, and lightning fast Poa annua greens.
No. 13, 541 yards, Par 5
Can be an eagle hole, or could be troublesome for the players. Traps on the right off the tee if the player cuts it too much, trees on both sides of the fairway, three bunkers on the front right of the green, two bunkers on the front left, and a bunker in back on a pretty shallow green. It could be an eagle opportunity, and certainly a birdie opportunity, but surviving with a par might be OK on Sunday as well.
No. 16, 227 yards, par 3
The player has to deal with some trees on the left hand side if he's going for a back left pin off the tee. Traps on the left and right. Pretty narrow green though it's long. Long is not very good on this hole as J.B. found out in the playoff with Day last year when he hit it over the green and against the stands and could not get up and down for par. Day parred 16, the second playoff hole, as English and Stallings were eliminated on 18, the first playoff hole, and Day won the tournament.
No.18, 572 yards, Par 5
One of the most famous holes in golf. If you cut it too much off the tee, you're in the sand on the right and you can't go for it in two, and hitting it left keeps you shielded from the green by trees. The second or third shot, depending on whether the player lays up or goes for it, is over a lake and if a player gets too much spin on his ball, he may spin it from the green back in the water. It was an interesting 18th in regulation last year, as Day, who was over the green in two, pretty much skulled his chip and the ball just barely missed going into the water fronting the green. He survived with a par, and had to sweat out Holmes, who after a 330 yard drive decided to lay up on his second shot with a chance to reach the green and two putt for the birdie and the victory. J.B. hit his third shot 15 feet above the hole and just missed his birdie putt by an inch to the left of the cup. Jim Nantz and Sir Nick were questioning J.B.'s decision to lay up instead of going for it in two. It's one of those calls like a coach going for it or kicking a field goal of punting on fourth down. If either doesn't work they'll get second guessed. Personally, I agreed with Jim and Nick. Thought J.B. should have gone for it. He's one of the longest hitters on the tour and could have easily reached it. Nerves most likely came into play and he didn't want to take s chance of going in the water. Not a bad decision. He just barely missed sinking his birdie putt and winning it.
Contenders:
Brandt Snedeker
The 2012 winner, has two top three finishes in his last two starts, both in Hawaii. He lost in a playoff to Fabian Gomez at the Sony Open in Honolulu two weeks ago. Playing exceptional golf. Didn't putt extremely well at the Sony outside of six feet. If he can putt better on the Poa annua greens, the 35 year old could very well win here again.
Kevin Streelman
Finished T-11 last week at the Career Builder Challenge shooting 68, 69, 66 and 67. The 37 year old former Duke player has won twice on tour, at the 2013 Valspar Championship, and at the 2014 Travelers Championship. Good player, who putts it very well. Has a good shot.
Philip Alfred Mickelson
Phil finished tied for 3rd at the Career Builder last week. He shot 68, 65, 66 and 68. Phil has won three times at Torrey in his native San Diego. He won in 1993, 2000 and 2001. It's been a long time, but the 45 year old is still playing excellent golf and will be in the hunt come Sunday.
Rickie Fowler
Rickie is coming off a huge victory at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in Saudi Arabia on the European Tour last week. Rickie shot -16 to win the tournament over Rory, Spieth and some other big names in the field. It's a huge tournament to win, and bodes well for Rickie's 2016 season. The 27-year old is certainly ready to win a major and will carry the momentum from last week into this weekend at Torrey Pines.
Winner
I'm going with this 33 year old from Campbellsville, Kentucky. He banged on the door last year and just came up short. He's got great length and he's an excellent iron player and when he gets hot with the putter, he can make everything he looks at. Like the Kentuckian to get it done this week in a marquee event on tour.
J.B. Holmes
