Farmers Insurance Open Betting Tips
Tiger Woods makes a much anticipated return to the PGA Tour after a long injury lay-off when he tees off at Torrey Pines for the Farmers Insurance Open. The 14-times Major Champion will be looking to silence his critics and find some early season form at a tournament he has won on seven occasions. Leading website Golf365 give their verdict ahead of the coveted tournament including their betting tips for the PGA Tour event.
The Story of the week – Tiger’s back!
True, we saw Tiger Woods tip-toe back into action at his own Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas before Christmas, but it is 17 months since his last appearance on the PGA Tour and nearly two and a half years since he lifted a trophy on the main stage (at the 2013 WGC Bridgestone Invitational). Anticipation is high.
Although he finished just 15th in a 17-man field in December there were hopeful signs, partly in his excellent second-round 65, partly because of his promising iron play, but mostly because he appeared to be enjoying himself.
The media focus will be trained on him all week and whilst it may infuriate some, it’s only to be expected. Woods is box office, drawing viewing figures and clicks that no-one else in the golfing world can match. Moreover he is returning to a favourite stage. He has not only won this tournament seven times, from 2005 he won it four times in a row and the course also witnessed his great U.S. Open victory of 2008, when he defeated the field (and the persistent Rocco Mediate) on a broken leg.
Some will expect great things, but for the short term we need to be patient. In a recent interview with the Irish Independent, Rory McIlroy made an excellent, considered assessment, saying: “He’s never going to be the Tiger of nearly two decades ago but you can’t expect that. Even if he was healthy, you wouldn’t expect that. But he’s out there and he’s playing and he seems to be competitive and we’ll see where it goes.”
Amen to that. We’re all watching and excited to see what happens next.
Farmers Insurance Open History
The tournament has a long history, stretching back to 1952, but in recent decades two men stand out from the crowd. In normal circumstances the achievements of three-time winner and San Diego native Phil Mickelson would be judged superb, not least for completing back-to-back victories in 2000-01. Unfortunately, of course, Tiger then did what he did best: he made the brilliant seem ordinary.
Twelve months ago Brandt Snedeker claimed a sensational, if rather bizarre, victory in stormy high wind. His Sunday 3-under-par 69 was not just the best-of-the-round by three shots, it was also one of only seven sub-75s carded.
Whilst he finished on Sunday, the pre-round leaders didn’t and when they returned Monday morning gales continued to lash the course, but to confound matters they were blowing in a different direction.
It was deemed too dangerous for spectators, who were kept off the course, and proved fiendish for the golfers. No-one matched Snedeker’s total and he lifted the trophy for a second time.
Winner’s profile
No-one has dominated the event as comprehensively as Woods did, but there is no doubt that this is a week for course (or, perhaps more correctly, venue) specialists. Snedeker is not only a two-time winner, he also owns another three top three finishes, two of them coming before his first victory. Jason Day was T9 and then T2 in the two years before his 2015 victory. Bubba Watson had two top ten finishes at the event prior to his win in 2011. Ben Crane was T7 12 months before lifting the trophy in 2010. 2009 champion Nick Watney had one tournament top ten before then and has had another four since. Even Scott Stallings, who may not have signposted his 2014 win, did back it up with second in 2015. Sooner or later someone will buck the trend, but to do so he will almost certainly have to defeat the Torrey Pines scholars along the way.
About Torrey Pines
Prior to the cut the field will play one round on the North course and another on the South, before committing to the latter for at the weekend. Although both were built in 1957 the North had a Tom Weiskopf renovation in 2016 and the South a Rees Jones redesign in 2001 prior to a tweak ahead of the 2008 U.S. Open. The North is shorter and more vulnerable, a factor to bear in mind when watching the pre-cut scoring.
Situated on bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean just outside San Diego there are significant reasons why some players thrive and others don’t. Whilst last year’s wind was exceptionally tough, it’s an annual factor. Another is the Poa Annua grass on the greens. In theory both courses have transferred to bent grass, but Poa is very difficult to be rid of and when it comes to putting on it heed the words of Jordan Spieth. “I’m Bermuda, and then I’m bent,” he said, talking of his favourite surfaces to putt on. “And then there’s probably six other kinds. And then I’m Poa.”
Farmers Insurance Open Favourites 2017
Dustin Johnson
The 32-year-old has certainly clocked up the air miles this month, journeying from his Florida base to Hawaii for the Tournament of Champions, on to Abu Dhabi (where he started the week admitting to jet lag before posting a fine T2) and now California.
He’s an eight-time visitor to the event with a best of T3 in 2011, the only time he made the top 15.
Jimmy Walker
This part of the world is Jimmy Walker’s patch. Put him on the Californian coast, with Poa Annua grass on the greens, and he’s relentless.
Not only has he twice finished T4 at Riviera CC, he’s also a four-time top ten finisher at both Pebble Beach (including a win in 2014) and here at Torrey Pines.
Moreover the good form in this event is recent: all four of those top tens have come in the last five years.
Brandt Snedeker
There is something about the Pacific Ocean that gets Snedeker’s game flowing.
He’s a two-time winner both here and at Pebble Beach, his joint best US Open finish was T8 at Chambers Bay (in Washington), he has three top three finishes in Hawaii and even a win in Fiji last October.
Another strong week would be no surprise.
Phil Mickelson
On the one hand, he’s a three-time winner. On the other, the last of those victories came in 2001 and since he finished second in 2011 he’s played the weekend just once when T51 in 2013.
It would be foolish to write him off, however, not least because he’s a proud San Diego native – he also warmed up nicely last week with a T21.
Hideki Matsuyama
The rising Japanese star spent the winter winning: he claimed two titles on home soil, a maiden WGC trophy in the HSBC Champions and then added the Hero World Challenge.
He was T16 on debut here in 2014 before twice missing the cut. Much is expected of him in 2017 and this is a classy spot to lay another marker.
Jason Day
A slightly enigmatic record in the tournament with three average efforts followed by T9, T2 and then a win.
When defending last year he found plenty of greens but had a nightmare on the greens which contributed to a weekend off. Opened the season with a solid T12 in the Tournament of Champions.
Farmers Insurance Open Outsiders
Pat Perez
Lost nearly eight months of 2016 to injury but on his return to action he immediately looked rejuvenated and claimed the OHL Classic.
Backed that up with a third in the Tournament of Champions and now returns to a venue he finished T2 at three years ago.
Shane Lowry
If you need a golfer who can perform by the sea and in high wind the Irishman’s name is bound to crop up sooner or later.
Moreover his two appearances have reaped T7 and T13 (notably shooting 73 in the last round 12 months ago).
About Matt Cooper
Matt Cooper is a contributor for Golf365, which has all the latest from tour events, plus news, features and course reviews.
