The PGA Tour pros head down to San Diego to play at historic Torrey Pines this week for the Farmers Insurance Open starting Thursday and played over the North and South courses. Yet the guy who has owned Torrey Pines more than anyone, Tiger Woods, isn’t in the field.
Tiger got a reported $1.7 million appearance fee and perhaps more to play in Abu Dhabi this week at the HSBC Championship. He has won seven times at Torrey Pines, tied for his most wins anywhere. Woods has started his PGA Tour season five times at Torrey Pines. He won four of those starts, with the lone exception coming last year, when he finished tied for 44th.
Since 1997, in his first start of the calendar year in a stroke-play event, Woods has won six of 15 starts. He’s finished in the top 10 every year except 2011. His scoring average in those events is a sparkling 69.1, and he’s a combined total of 201 under par. Tiger is the third-favorite on WagerWeb.com this week at +500 behind Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy to win in Abu Dhabi. He will make his PGA Tour season debut in two weeks at Pebble Beach.
At Torrey Pines, 16 of the world’s Top 50 are in the field, headlined by world No. 9 Dustin Johnson. But the biggest name is Phil Mickelson and he is the +900 second favorite on WagerWeb.com. Lefty has won three times at this event — in 1993, 2000 and 2001. He’s come close a number of other times, too — two second-place finishes (including last year) and 10 top-10 finishes in all. In 70 rounds at the event since 1993, Phil has carded scores below par 54 times.
Mickelson started slow last week, but was 9 under over his final two rounds at the Humana Challenge. This despite missing seven putts in Rounds 3 and 4 of 10 feet or less. At Torrey last year on the weekend, he missed only three such putts, and was 16-for-17 on Sunday.
Johnson (+2000) had to withdraw from the Humana last week with back soreness. Johnson finished tied for third here a year ago, three shots behind winner Bubba Watson. Johnson hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation Sunday last year en route to a bogey-free 66.
Ernie Els is in the field along with Hunter Mahan, Bill Haas, Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler, Brandt Snedeker and Geoff Ogilvy.
The favorite on WagerWeb.com is Nick Watney at +800. The 2009 champ has four top 10s in seven appearances here. This includes a T9 in 2010 and a T6 last year when he began his final round with birdies on eight of his first nine holes. Placed T12 at the Hyundai TOC three weeks ago.
Brandt Snedeker is behind Watney and Mickelson at +1000. In his first start of the year, shared eighth place at the Humana Challenge and finished fourth in putting. Three top 10s in five starts at the Farmers, including the last two.
Could Els surprise at +2100? He is making just his third appearance at this event. Els finished T6 in 2005 and T5 in 2010. Also making the long-distance journey from South Africa after losing in a playoff at the Volvo Golf Champions on Sunday. Ranked seventh in GIR on the PGA Tour in 2011.
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