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Staying in California this week, the PGA Tour will host some of the biggest names in golf at legendary Torrey Pines.
2020 US PGA Tour | Farmers Insurance Open
Torrey Pines, La Jolla, California – North Course and South Course
Thursday 23 January 2020 – Sunday 26 January 2020
This event started life as the San Diego Open way back in 1952. This will be the 68th edition of the event, with Torrey Pines hosting every single edition since 1968. Speaking of legendary, Torrey Pines is synonymous with perhaps the biggest legend of them all: Tiger Woods. Woods is back this week for his crack at an 8th title. More significantly, Woods will be aiming to pull clear of Sam Snead and take sole ownership of most PGA Tour victories with 83. But he won’t have it all his own way as a stellar field lines up to thwart Tiger’s ambitions.
The event will be played on two courses. The first two rounds will alternate between the North and South Courses. The weekend will see the top half of the field duke it out on the markedly more challenging South Course. Both of these courses were designed by Billy Bell Jnr in 1957. The South Course was revamped by Rees Jones in 2001, leading to it hosting the US Open in 2008. Jones has once again tinkered with the course and it is an absolute monster now. It is actually the longest course on the PGA Tour. The South Course in considerably shorter, though thanks to a Tom Weiskopf makeover in 2017 it actually plays much closer to the South Course than previously. Length off the tee is perhaps a key indicator to success this week.
Who can stop the seemingly inevitable Tiger march? Rory McIlroy returns to action for the first time since the DP World Tour Championship and leads the markets this week. He finished 5th on debut last year and will be looking to kickstart his quest to recapture the World Number One spot. Jon Rahm is a former champion here who must be on the cusp of a major breakthrough. The big-hitting Spaniard is a desert-course aficionado with all the talent in the world. Defending champion Justin Rose had an otherwise forgettable 2019 while the likes of Xander Schauffele and Hideki Matsuyama are lurking on the undercard.
Past Winners
2019: Justin Rose (-21)
2018: Jason Day (-10)*playoff
2017: Jon Rahm (-13)
2016: Brandt Snedeker (-6)
2015: Jason Day (-9)*playoff
Outright Betting (To Win)
Rory McIlroy (6/1)
Jon Rahm (15/2)
Tiger Woods (11/1)
Justin Rose (16/1)
Xander Schauffele (16/1)
Value Bets
Gary Woodland
To Win (25/1), To Place (11/2)
Woodland looks like a great fit this week, with solid course history and excellent current form. His last four results at Torrey Pines read T18, T20, T12 and T9. Last time out he finished in a tie for 7th at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. That was his third consecutive top seven finish following a 5th at the Zozo Championship and a T3 at the CJ Cup. The current US Open Champion sits 12th on tour for GIR and 14th for scoring average. He looks primed for a concerted push this week.
Keegan Bradley
To Win (75/1), To Place (16/1)
It makes sense that Bradley would do well at Torrey Pines. One of the best drivers on tour, and one of the highest hitters, Bradley came close here in both 2017 and 2018. He finished 12th last time out at the Sony Open, which was his first start after two months away. It was also his best finish in that event in eight starts. He currently sits at 53 in the world rankings, a similar position to when he claimed that 2018 BMW Championship. He’s won at Firestone, which is another course renowned for intimidating length. This could represent his chance to once again mix it with the world’s best.
The Man to Beat
Tiger Woods
To Win (11/1), To Place (24/10)
Tiger at Torrey Pines at 11/1 is one thing. But Tiger at Torrey Pines in current form is quite another. Woods has won in three of his last fifteen starts. He has seven wins in this event. Add to that the fact that he won the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines, outlasting Rocco Mediate in a play-off whilst virtually on one leg. Woods will certainly pass Sam Snead and hold the outright lead with PGA Tour wins soon enough. Could this be the week? It just seems to perfectly align, despite the strength of competition. 11/1 looks very enticing for the potential history at stake here.
