BlogFarmers Insurance Open Preview and Picks

Farmers Insurance Open

January 22nd – 25th, 2025

Torrey Pines South Course

San Diego, CA

Par: 72 / Yardage: 7,765

Purse: $9.3 million

with $1,674,000 to the winner

Defending Champion:
Matthieu Pavon

by Sal Johnson

Founder, Chief Data Officer, GOLFstats

E-mail me at:
sal@golfstats.com

This week’s field includes:

There are 45 players in the top 100 and 16 of the top 50 in the latest Official World Rankings. Those in the top-100 are: #4 Hideki Matsuyama, #6 Ludvig Aberg, #13 Keegan Bradley, #15 Sahith Theegala, #20 Sungjae Im, #23 Aaron Rai, #27 Tony Finau, #28 Shane Lowry, #29 Maverick McNealy, #33 Jason Day, #35 Max Greyserman, #36 Matthieu Pavon, #39 Austin Eckroat, #41 Stephan Jaeger, #48 Max Homa, #50 Thriston Lawrence, #51 Matt McCarty, #52 Justin Rose, #54 Eric Cole, #59 Thomas Detry, #61 Ben Griffin, #62 Jhonattan Vegas, #63 Will Zalatoris, #66 Matt Wallace, #67 Kevin Yu, #69 Si Woo Kim, #73 Kurt Kitayama, #74 Justin Lower, #75 Harris English, #76 Erik van Rooyen, #77 Taylor Moore, #79 Beau Hossler, #80 J.J. Spaun, #82 Harry Hall, #83 Niklas Norgaard, #84 Victor Perez, #87 Lee Hodges, #88 Max McGreevy, #90 Mark Hubbard, #93 Doug Ghim, #94 Matteo Manassero, #95 Luke Clanton, #96 Jesper Svensson, #98 Charley Hoffman, and #100 Patrick Fishburn.

Last year, there were 20 top-50 players on the field

The field includes 15 players in the top 25 on the 2025 FedEx point standings.  #1 Hideki Matsuyama, #5 Sungjae Im, #8 Jhonattan Vegas, #9 Thomas Detry, #10 Ludvig Aberg, #12 Harry Hall, #14 J.J. Spaun, #15 Stephan Jaeger, #16 Jason Day, #18 Justin Lower, #20 Maverick McNealy, #21 Carson Young, #23 Keegan Bradley, #24 Max Greyserman and #25 Eric Cole.

The field includes 7 past champions in the field (winning 8 Farmers titles) this week: Matthieu Pavon – 2024,  Max Homa – 2023, Luke List – 2022, Justin Rose – 2019, Jason Day – 2018 & ’15, and Brandt Snedeker 2016 &’12.

Our performance chart, listed by average finish, is a perfect way for fantasy golfers to check on the past performance of all the players in the Farmers Insurance Open field. Another way to check who is the best is through a special formula worked out in Golfstats that gives us the best average performances at the Farmers Insurance Open in the last five years, or check out our sortable 8-year glance at the Farmers Insurance Open.

A good cheat sheet is this list of odds from the top bookmakers in England.

Another cheat sheet is this list of odds from the top bookmaker in Las Vegas.

Time to look at our who’s hot and who isn’t:

Who’s Hot in the Field for the Farmers Insurance Open

Player American Express Hero Dubai Sony Open The Sentry Hero World RSM Classic Bermuda Champ. World Wide Technology Zozo Champ. Shriners Children’s Black Desert Sanderson Farms Procore Champ.
Justin Lower
(175.33 pts)
T3
(90)
DNP T37
(13)
DNP DNP CUT
(-3.33)
T5
(23.33)
T2
(33.33)
T56
(0)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
T28
(7.33)
T7
(18.33)
Hideki Matsuyama
(167.33 pts)
DNP DNP T16
(34)
Win
(132)
DNP DNP DNP DNP T46
(1.33)
DNP DNP DNP DNP
Harry Hall
(163.33 pts)
T21
(29)
DNP T10
(40)
T8
(50)
DNP DNP DNP T14
(12)
T13
(12.33)
T9
(15)
T35
(5)
DNP DNP
J.J. Spaun
(154.33 pts)
T29
(21)
DNP T3
(90)
DNP DNP CUT
(-3.33)
DNP T30
(6.67)
T6
(20)
T34
(5.33)
T25
(8.33)
WD
(-1.67)
T26
(8)
Stephan Jaeger
(143 pts)
DNP DNP T3
(90)
T36
(14)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP CUT
(-3.33)
2
(33.33)
T23
(9)
DNP
Max Greyserman
(141 pts)
T7
(55)
DNP DNP T24
(26)
DNP DNP DNP 4
(26.67)
T2
(33.33)
DNP DNP DNP DNP
Maverick McNealy
(133 pts)
DNP DNP T45
(5)
T8
(50)
DNP Win
(44)
T17
(11)
T6
(20)
WD
(-1.67)
T16
(11.33)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Ben Griffin
(120.33 pts)
T7
(55)
DNP T45
(5)
DNP DNP T15
(11.67)
8
(16.67)
T24
(8.67)
T22
(9.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
T11
(13)
T37
(4.33)
DNP
Keegan Bradley
(118.33 pts)
DNP DNP T6
(60)
T15
(35)
5
(23.33)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Patrick Fishburn
(116.33 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP T6
(60)
DNP DNP T8
(16.67)
DNP T12
(12.67)
T37
(4.33)
T34
(5.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
T48
(0.67)
3
(30)
Mark Hubbard
(110.33 pts)
T12
(38)
DNP T21
(29)
DNP DNP T35
(5)
T3
(30)
DNP T41
(3)
T14
(12)
CUT
(-3.33)
T63
(0)
CUT
(-3.33)
Jason Day
(110.33 pts)
T3
(90)
DNP DNP T40
(10)
T19
(10.33)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Alex Smalley
(108.67 pts)
11
(39)
DNP T16
(34)
DNP DNP CUT
(-3.33)
T29
(7)
T39
(3.67)
DNP 65
(0)
T25
(8.33)
T5
(23.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Sungjae Im
(107.33 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP 3
(90)
T9
(15)
DNP DNP DNP T13
(12.33)
DNP DNP DNP DNP
Eric Cole
(106.33 pts)
T68
(0)
DNP 5
(70)
52
(0)
DNP T15
(11.67)
DNP DNP T6
(20)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP T16
(11.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Lee Hodges
(101.33 pts)
T34
(16)
DNP T10
(40)
DNP DNP T5
(23.33)
DNP DNP T16
(11.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
T8
(16.67)
T48
(0.67)
CUT
(-3.33)
Ludvig Aberg
(101 pts)
DNP DNP DNP T5
(70)
6
(20)
T17
(11)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Beau Hossler
(100 pts)
T12
(38)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP T20
(10)
T56
(0)
T23
(9)
T11
(13)
2
(33.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Jhonattan Vegas
(94.67 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP 4
(80)
DNP DNP T57
(0)
CUT
(-3.33)
T11
(13)
T52
(0)
DNP T23
(9)
T32
(6)
Doug Ghim
(94.33 pts)
T21
(29)
DNP T72
(0)
DNP DNP T42
(2.67)
CUT
(-3.33)
T20
(10)
T27
(7.67)
2
(33.33)
T25
(8.33)
T33
(5.67)
T47
(1)
Charley Hoffman
(88.67 pts)
T5
(70)
DNP T59
(0)
DNP DNP DNP DNP T30
(6.67)
T65
(0)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP T28
(7.33)
T26
(8)
Daniel Berger
(86 pts)
T21
(29)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP T2
(33.33)
T62
(0)
T20
(10)
DNP T39
(3.67)
T35
(5)
7
(18.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Austin Eckroat
(81.33 pts)
DNP DNP CUT
(-10)
T15
(35)
DNP T17
(11)
DNP Win
(44)
DNP T46
(1.33)
DNP DNP DNP
Niklas Norgaard
(80 pts)
DNP T4
(80)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Thomas Detry
(70 pts)
DNP DNP T53
(0)
T5
(70)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Joe Highsmith
(70 pts)
T66
(0)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP T11
(13)
DNP 5
(23.33)
DNP T16
(11.33)
T6
(20)
T55
(0)
T13
(12.33)
Taylor Moore
(69.33 pts)
T7
(55)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP T35
(5)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
T11
(13)
T29
(7)
DNP T42
(2.67)
DNP
Rico Hoey
(66 pts)
T58
(0)
DNP T59
(0)
DNP DNP DNP T17
(11)
T45
(1.67)
T22
(9.33)
T3
(30)
T21
(9.67)
68
(0)
T37
(4.33)
Will Zalatoris
(65 pts)
T12
(38)
DNP DNP T26
(24)
DNP DNP DNP DNP T41
(3)
DNP DNP DNP DNP
Sahith Theegala
(62 pts)
DNP DNP T37
(13)
T36
(14)
8
(16.67)
DNP DNP DNP T56
(0)
DNP DNP DNP T7
(18.33)
Carson Young
(60.67 pts)
T29
(21)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP T35
(5)
T62
(0)
T2
(33.33)
T37
(4.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
T11
(13)
T48
(0.67)
CUT
(-3.33)
David Lipsky
(59.67 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP T45
(5)
DNP DNP DNP T9
(15)
T6
(20)
DNP T41
(3)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
2
(33.33)
Kurt Kitayama
(59.67 pts)
T58
(0)
DNP T37
(13)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 5
(23.33)
T9
(15)
T25
(8.33)
DNP DNP
Vince Whaley
(59.33 pts)
T64
(0)
DNP T72
(0)
DNP DNP T8
(16.67)
T5
(23.33)
T55
(0)
DNP T16
(11.33)
67
(0)
T16
(11.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Gary Woodland
(59.33 pts)
DNP DNP T16
(34)
DNP DNP CUT
(-3.33)
DNP DNP T33
(5.67)
T9
(15)
DNP T16
(11.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Taylor Pendrith
(58.67 pts)
DNP DNP T45
(5)
T13
(37)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 8
(16.67)
DNP DNP DNP
Jacob Bridgeman
(58.33 pts)
T21
(29)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP CUT
(-3.33)
T12
(12.67)
T14
(12)
DNP T29
(7)
T46
(1.33)
T11
(13)
CUT
(-3.33)
Kevin Yu
(57.67 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP T44
(6)
DNP T11
(13)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP T16
(11.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP Win
(44)
DNP
Sam Ryder
(56 pts)
T43
(7)
DNP T21
(29)
DNP DNP CUT
(-3.33)
T5
(23.33)
T30
(6.67)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
T40
(3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Jackson Suber
(50 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP T6
(60)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Sam Stevens
(49.67 pts)
T51
(0)
DNP T59
(0)
DNP DNP T42
(2.67)
T67
(0)
T6
(20)
T22
(9.33)
T23
(9)
DNP T37
(4.33)
T37
(4.33)
Aaron Rai
(47 pts)
DNP DNP DNP T15
(35)
T14
(12)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Greyson Sigg
(47 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP T70
(0)
DNP DNP CUT
(-3.33)
T9
(15)
DNP DNP T23
(9)
T11
(13)
CUT
(-3.33)
T4
(26.67)
Adam Schenk
(46.33 pts)
WD
(-5)
DNP T6
(60)
DNP DNP T53
(0)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
T67
(0)
T46
(1.33)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Mac Meissner
(46 pts)
T68
(0)
DNP T21
(29)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP T27
(7.67)
DNP T25
(8.33)
T37
(4.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Wesley Bryan
(44 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP DNP CUT
(-3.33)
T17
(11)
T6
(20)
DNP DNP T21
(9.67)
T37
(4.33)
T13
(12.33)
Frankie Capan III
(43 pts)
T12
(38)
DNP T45
(5)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Michael Kim
(42.67 pts)
T43
(7)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP T11
(13)
T12
(12.67)
T30
(6.67)
DNP T5
(23.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Henrik Norlander
(41.33 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP T37
(13)
DNP DNP T17
(11)
T57
(0)
T30
(6.67)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
T8
(16.67)
T28
(7.33)
T61
(0)
Matti Schmid
(41.33 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP 61
(0)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP T3
(30)
5
(23.33)
T16
(11.33)
T58
(0)
Patrick Rodgers
(38.67 pts)
70
(0)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP T17
(11)
T9
(15)
T24
(8.67)
T67
(0)
DNP T11
(13)
CUT
(-3.33)
T37
(4.33)
Paul Peterson
(38.33 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP T10
(40)
DNP DNP T25
(8.33)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Harris English
(37.33 pts)
T43
(7)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP T60
(0)
DNP T14
(12)
DNP T9
(15)
T6
(20)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Kevin Roy
(37 pts)
T18
(32)
DNP T45
(5)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Vincent Norrman
(34 pts)
T29
(21)
DNP T37
(13)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP

How Player Rankings are Computed

Who’s Not Hot in the Field for the Farmers Insurance Open

Player American Express Hero Dubai Sony Open The Sentry Hero World RSM Classic Bermuda Champ. World Wide Technology Zozo Champ. Shriners Children’s Black Desert Sanderson Farms Procore Champ.
Peter Malnati
(-36.67 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP CUT
(-10)
T53
(0)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP DNP CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP
Hayden Buckley
(-30 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP DNP CUT
(-3.33)
T65
(0)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Aaron Baddeley
(-23 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP 76
(0)
DNP DNP CUT
(-3.33)
T70
(0)
T64
(0)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
T50
(0.33)
Chris Gotterup
(-21 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP CUT
(-10)
T46
(4)
DNP DNP DNP DNP T71
(0)
45
(1.67)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
Mason Andersen
(-20 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Trevor Cone
(-20 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Noah Goodwin
(-20 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
William Mouw
(-20 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Kaito Onishi
(-20 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 77
(0)
DNP DNP DNP DNP
John Pak
(-20 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP

How Player Rankings are Computed

The Buzz:

One essential item. BE AWARE: due to not wanting to play on Sunday and be up against the NFL, this year’s Farmers will start on WEDNESDAY and end on Saturday. So don’t miss the early start.

So, the 2025 season has had a rash of marquee players not playing. We all knew about Scottie Scheffler, who hurt his hand while preparing the family Christmas dinner. At first, we thought it would only affect him for the Sentry, but the world’s #1 player also missed the American Express. Now he isn’t in the Farmers field, he hasn’t played at Torrey since 2022 and hasn’t played very well, missing two of three cuts, and his only cut made was T-20th in 2022. The Scheffler’s camp has been tranquil since the Christmas accident, and we only have heard that he will play at Pebble next week.

Scheffler hasn’t played since the Hero World Challenge and the Mirror had a picture of Scheffler in a gym saying he was in the gym after hand surgery. But on social media, we haven’t found anything recent from Scheffler or his conditioning coach, Troy Van Biezen, so I am leery about his actual condition.

On top of Scheffler not playing, Xander Schauffele, who grew up in the Torrey Pines area, didn’t enter. He was supposed to play at the American Express last week and withdrew, citing a medical issue. Unfortunately, Collin Morikawa withdrew over the weekend, citing illness as the reason. He finished 2nd at the Sentry, three shots back of the winner Hideki Matsuyama. Morikawa grew up in Los Angeles but has only played three times at the Farmers, finishing T-21st in 2020, 3rd in 2023, and missed the cut last year.

This is the last year Farmers Insurance will sponsor the event, leaving the popular event looking for a new sponsor for 2026. Since the event is not a signature event, the field is weak, with only 16 of the top 50 world-ranked players in the field, the only top ten being #4 Hideki Matsuyama and #6 Ludvig Aberg.

UPDATE on the Genesis Invitational  being played at Torrey Pines

The San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting today that Farmers Insurance officials have been contacted by the PGA Tour about a possible move to Torrey Pines, but that a decision has not been made yet.  It seems that the tours and final negotiations with Torrey Pines and Farmers on the possible move.  This would be great news for the Genesis who has been forced to leave Riviera not because the course has been damaged but the infrastructure being a stripped away, because of the wildfires, seriously damaging the local area and all the Pacific Palisades.

Final world should come very soon on this, probably by today or Wednesday .

So, who are the players we are watching for this week?

In looking at the first three events, we have three distinct winners: Hideki Matsuyama, Nick Taylor, and Sepp Straka. The only one playing at Torrey is Matsuyama, who has mixed results at Torrey: two top tens in 11 starts, the best being T-3 in 2019. Frankly, he is the best player in the field. His ball striking has been great, he is putting better, and he is healthy for the first time in a decade.

The player who has been playing the best is Maverick McNealy, who won the RSM in November and added a T-8th at the Sentry and T-45th at Sony. The one problem is that he may be one of the favorites, but he hasn’t played great at the Farmers; his best finish was 15th in 2020. The difference is his game is better, he is healthy, and he will surprise a lot of folks. I like three players: Ludvig Aberg, who was T-9th last year at the Farmers; Tony Finau, who has six top tens at the Farmers in ten starts; and Jason Day, who won the Farmers in 2015 & ’18. Day finished T-3rd last week at the Amex. Tony Finau he is still getting his game in shape after enduring surgery on his left knee to repair a torn meniscus and remove cartilage. This procedure was performed in October. Another person to watch is Max Greyserman, who has been in the top 30 in his last 11 of 13 starts. He was T-7th last week in the Amex, and even though he missed the cut in his first Farmers start, I am looking for him to have a great start.

Course information:
  • Played at the two courses at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California
  • South Course (Home Course) – Par:  72 / Yardage: 7,765
  • North Course – Par: 72 / Yardage 7,258

Both courses were designed by Billy Bell Jr. and opened in 1957.  In the 80s, both courses were revamped with all new greens with the work done by the city.

The south course opened on June 19th, 1957, with Paul Runyan, Ralph Duldahl, Olin Dutra, and a local pro, Don Gillett, the first to play it. Five months later, the North Course opened. It is hard to believe that since the courses opened over 58 years ago, over 14 million rounds have been played on both courses.

The two courses were Leo Calland’s brainchild, then director of San Diego’s park and recreation department. He pushed hard to change an old World War II camp into a golf course.  When he got permission, Bell came in and covered over the blacktop and could use the excess concrete to roll fairways on a flat site.  After they opened, the lure of both courses was the ocean’s views on every hole.  Both courses sit atop of bluffs overlooking the Pacific. These views were seen a couple of years later nationally when Challenge Golf filmed one of their matches with Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Sam Snead, and Doug Sanders.

A decade later, the San Diego Open was looking around for a home.  It never found a home since the tournament was first played in 1952.  It was played on several different courses, but in 1968 it would embark on a significant change.  It decided to copy several West Coast tournaments by getting a headline celebrity to host the event, getting Andy Williams, who at the time was one of the biggest stars on television with a weekly show.  They also needed financial support and asked for the city to use Torrey Pines free of charge.  It was a match made in heaven.  The course proved very popular not only with the pros but the TV audience that watched it.

Since then, Torrey Pines has been the tournament’s home, although every year, rumblings were heard that it could be replaced with a TPC course. Those rumblings ended with the economic downturn in 2008.

After the 2001 Buick, the South course underwent extensive revamping.  With the chance of getting the 2008 U.S. Open, $3.3 million was spent with Rees Jones, adding a lot of length to the course.  The course could stretch to 7,700 yards with the changes, although the PGA Tour played it below that figure.  Though Jones didn’t change the course’s routing, he did redo all the bunkers and changed four holes, moving greens on the third, fourth, fourteen, and fifteen holes.  All the changes brought some bite back to a course that 50 years ago was considered very difficult by the touring professionals.  Average scores were up almost two shots compared to past years, and the winning score in 2002 of 275 was, along with two other years, the highest winning score in 20 years.  The revamp proved such a big success with the players, media, and fans that the USGA gave the 2008 U.S. Open to Torrey Pines, which was such a big success that in 2021, the USGA would return the Open to Torrey.

To get ready for the 2021 U.S. Open, course architect Rees Jones returned after the 2019 event to prepare the course by making numerous subtle changes.  $14 million was spent to renovate and strengthen the course by installing a new irrigation system.  They also resed every tee, redid every bunker, and redid the areas around all 18 greens without doing anything to the greens. The most striking alterations come on the 4th, 9th, 10th, 15th, and 17th holes. Tees were moved to make driving harder in the fairway, and new bunkers were added to make players think more about a shot.  So the changes will add more of a premium on accurate driving, but another thing the changes did was add another 67 yards to the course, making it play to 7,765, which is not only the longest course on tour but the first course to venture over the 7,700-yard mark.  As one pro Beau Hossler, said to Tod Leonard of the San Diego Tribune:

“They’re seemingly taking away the easy holes and turning them into moderate ones.  So, there are no easy holes out here when you play it all the way back.”  So it will be interesting to see how much harder the course will play. Of course, if the weather is perfect as predicted, scores will be low, and we may never know.

The North Course was redone in 2016 and proved to be about a shot and a half easier than the South.  Still, in many people’s minds, the North is more scenic and more fun to play.

Let’s take a look at key stats that are important for those playing on the South Course at Torrey Pines:

This is based on the most important stats for Torrey Pines South Course, based on data from last year’s Farmers Insurance Open, and using data from all the players in the field for stats from 2025.
The event is played on two courses, so the data are only for the rounds played on the South Course, not the one-round data from the North Course.
The scoring average of the Torrey South Course field last year was 72.40. It was the 9th hardest course on the PGA Tour and the hardest non-major course out of the 50 courses charted in 2024. Lack of wind made the course play easier last year.

Here is a look at the scoring average at Torrey South Course for the last few years:
*2023 – Average was 73.62, was the 4th hardest of the 58 courses that year
*2022 – Average was 72.35, was the 15th hardest of the 50 courses that year
*2021 – Average was 73.34, it was the 4th hardest of the 51 courses that year
*2021 – The course also held the U.S. Open that year, and the average score was 73.45, making it the 2nd hardest course of the year
*2020 – Average was 72.53, was 7th hardest of 41 courses that year
*2019 – Average was 71.73, was 18th hardest of 49 courses that year

In 2019, the South Course played under par for the first time since 2001, averaging 71.82.
Days after the Farmers in 2001, bulldozers came in, and the course was completely renovated for the 2008 U.S. Open by Rees Jones. So why did the course play so easily in 2019? The weather couldn’t be better, warm all four days with wind under 10 mph daily. With that, Justin Rose shot 21 under par, the lowest winning score since Tiger Woods shot 22 under in 1999. Of course, the wind is always a factor, in 2018, with low temperatures the first three days and winds gusting up to 25 mph, the scoring average was 72.81, the 8th hardest course for the year. In 2017, it was windy each day, and the average was 72.77, making it the 14th hardest course on the PGA Tour. It was almost 2 shots easier than in 2016, when it was the 2nd hardest course on tour with a 74.50. That year, they had high winds so severe that they had to finish the round on Monday, which is why the change happened.
Since 2016, the South Course average has been 72.434, but the overall tournament average has been 72.064. That’s because one round is played on the North Course, which has been a layup in past years, but the course has undergone some changes.

The scoring average of the Torrey North Course field in 2023 was 71.45, and it was the 24th hardest course on the PGA Tour out of the 58 courses charted in 2023.

But last year, with the lack of wind, the scoring went down to 69.50 as it was the 43rd hardest of 50 courses.

Here is a look at the scoring average at Torrey North Course for the last few years:
*2022 – Average was 68.77, was the 48th hardest of the 50 courses that year
*2021 – Average was 70.13, it was the 44th hardest of the 51 courses that year
*2020 – Average was 70.57, was 33rd hardest of 41 courses that year
*2019 – Average was 69.84, was 45th hardest of 49 courses that year

So why did 2022 and ’23 play so easily? In both years, the temperatures went from 65 to a high of 70 on Saturday. With both courses on the Pacific, wind plays a key role, and all two days saw the wind blowing between 6 and 12 mph, very mild conditions.

Our course key is based on the South Course, which underwent another renovation before the 2020 event to prepare for the 2021 U.S. Open. There have been numerous subtle changes on the South Course, but the most striking alterations were made to the 4th, 9th, 10th, 15th, and 17th holes. Tees were moved to make driving harder in the fairway, and new bunkers were added to make players think more about a shot. Still, with the course lying on a bluff over the Pacific Ocean, mother nature always plays its part with possible fog this time of year, rain, and wind. For this year, the area has gotten very little rain in the last month, and for this week, the weather will be very unlike San Diego weather. Temperatures will be very mild on Thursday. It will only get up to 73 degrees on Friday, 67, with it getting as high as 59 over the weekend. Each day will have cloudy weather, but the great news for the players is that there will be very little wind. Friday will be at 8 mph, as the other days will be in the 7 to 13 mph on Saturday, which is very low for the Farmers. So look for low scores again.
Driving is essential in looking at Torrey South’s stats last year. The course ranked 19th on the PGA Tour in driving distance with an average of 292.3 yards and 7th in driving accuracy. Winner Matthieu Pavon ranked 45th in driving distance (291.3) and T-16th in driving accuracy (hitting 35 of 54 holes)

Here is a look at the driving average at Torrey South for the last few years:
*2023 – Torrey South ranked 29 in driving distance and 7th in driving accuracy.
Winner Max Homa was 55th in driving distance and T-9th (34 of 54) in accuracy.
*2022 – Torrey South ranked 31st in driving distance and 9th in driving accuracy.
Winner Luke List was 12th in driving distance and T-44th (29 of 54) in accuracy.
*2021 –Torrey South ranked 25th in driving distance and 7th in driving accuracy.
Winner Patrick Reed was T-52nd in driving distance and T-9th (36 of 54) in accuracy.
*2020 – Torrey South ranked T-17th in driving distance and 8th in driving accuracy.
Winner Marc Leishman was T-34th in driving distance and T-58th (27 of 54) in accuracy.
*2019 – Torrey South ranked 32nd in driving distance and 1st in driving accuracy.
Winner Justin Rose was 11th in driving distance and T-8th (35 of 54) in accuracy.
So driving it far and straight is important.

Another vital stat is greens in regulation, which translates to Strokes gained Tee-to-Green
Last year, the field hit an average of 64.79% of the greens and ranked 7th. Hitting greens is very important, and as we can see, only about 6 in 10 greens are hit, compared to the Plantation Course at Kapalua, in which 81.49% were hit a few weeks ago. So, this is important in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green, which is one of our top stats to look for. Last year’s winner, Matthieu Pavon, ranked T-24th in Greens in Regulation, hitting 51 of 72 greens as he finished 12th for the week in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green, gaining 1.891 per round.

Here is a look at the Greens in Regulation at Torrey South and how it corresponds to the winners in the last few years:
*2023 – Torrey South ranked T-10th in Greens in Regulation. Winner Max Homa was T-3rd in Greens in Regulation, hitting 53 of 72 greens, and was 1st in Strokes Gained Tee to Green, picking up 3.50 shots per round.
*2022 – Torrey South ranked T-16th in Greens in Regulation. Winner Luke List was T-11th in Greens in Regulation, hitting 53 of 72 greens, and was 5th in Strokes Gained Tee to Green, picking up 2.48 shots per round.
*2021 –Torrey South ranked 13th in Greens in Regulation. Winner Patrick Reed was T-63rd in Greens in Regulation, hitting 44 of 72 greens, and was 12th in Strokes Gained Tee to Green, picking up 1.93 shots per round.
*2020 – Torrey South ranked 13th in Greens in Regulation. Winner Marc Leishman was T-14th in Greens in Regulation, hitting 52 of 72 greens, and was 16th in Strokes Gained Tee to Green, picking up 1.14 shots per round.
*2019 – Torrey South ranked 21st in Greens in Regulation. Winner Justin Rose was T-2nd in Greens in Regulation, hitting 56 of 72 greens, and was 7th in Strokes Gained Tee to Green, picking up 1.77 shots per round.

Our third category is putting inside 10 feet. The Poa Annua greens have the reputation as some of the hardest greens on tour to putt. Poa is a weed that makes the greens hard to putt, especially in the late afternoon and with many people walking on them. So, it’s very challenging to make putts under ten feet. Last year, Torrey South’s greens were the hardest course on tour in making putts inside ten feet in, as only 85.30% of those putts were made. In comparison, TPC Southwind in the FedEx St. Jude Championship saw the most putts inside of ten feet, with 89.84%. For the winner, Matthieu Pavon, he ranked 32nd in putting inside ten feet, making 46 of 53 tries inside ten feet (86.79%).

Here is a look at the Putting Inside Ten Feet at Torrey South and how it corresponds for the winners in the last few years:
*2023 – Torrey South ranked 1st in Putting inside Ten Feet with (85.30%) of the putts made.
Winner Max Homa was 28th in Putting inside Ten Feet with 43 of 49 (87.76%) of the putts made.
*2022 – Torrey South ranked 2nd in Putting inside Ten Feet with (85.98%) of the putts made.
Winner Luke List was 59th in Putting inside Ten Feet with 43 of 51 (84.31%) of the putts made.
*2021 – Torrey South ranked 2nd in Putting inside Ten Feet with (83.95%) of the putts made.
Winner Patrick Reed was 7th in Putting inside Ten Feet with 47 of 52 (90.381%) of the putts made.
*2020 – Torrey South ranked 2nd in Putting inside Ten Feet with (84.66%) of the putts made.
Winner Marc Leishman was 28th in Putting inside Ten Feet with 44 of 51 (86.27%) of the putts made.
2019 – Torrey South ranked 4th in Putting inside Ten Feet with (86.00%) of the putts made.
Winner Justin Rose was T-39th in Putting inside Ten Feet with 46 of 53 (86.79%) of the putts made.
In 2018, Jason Day shined in this stat, ranking first in the field and making 49 of 51 tries for the week.

Our last category is scrambling mainly because of its history, where lots of greens are missed, and Torrey is adamant about getting it up and down.

Last year, it ranked 7th hardest, with players getting it up and down on greens 54.08% of the 21 greens he missed.

Here is a look at the Putting Inside Ten Feet at Torrey South and how it corresponds for the winners in the last few years:
*2023 – Torrey South ranked 3rd in scrambling as players got it up and down (50.41%) of the time.
Winner Max Homa was 14th in Scrambling as he got it up and down 63.16% of the 19 greens he missed.
*2022 – Torrey South ranked 18th in scrambling as players got it up and down (57.17%) of the time.
Winner Luke List was T-6th in Scrambling as he got it up and down 78.95% of the 19 greens he missed.
*2021 – Torrey South ranked 5th in scrambling as players got it up and down (51.99%) of the time.
Winner Patrick Reed placed 5th in Scrambling, as he was able to get up and down 81.25% of the 28 greens he missed.
*2020 – Torrey South ranked 4th in scrambling as players got it up and down (54.00%) of the time.
Winner Marc Leishman was T-4th in Scrambling as he got it up and down 75.00% of the 20 greens he missed.
*2019 – Torrey South ranked 15th in scrambling as players got it up and down (57.05%) of the time.
Winner Justin Rose was 58th in Scrambling as he got it up and down 56.25% of the 16 greens he missed.

Both courses at Torrey Pines are unique and offer a different challenge to the pros. The course’s charm is based on its location on the Pacific Ocean, along with greens that are not only hard to hit but also hard to putt. The weather, which is usually perfect, and the scenic nature of the course are some of the reasons players love to play in this event.

SO HERE ARE OUR FOUR CHOICES FOR THE MOST CRITICAL STATS FROM PLAYERS TO DO WELL AT TORREY PINES SOUTH:

*Strokes gained Tee-to-Green: It’s a combination of hitting it straight and hitting it far. Since Torrey is so long, you must hit the driver off most tees. But the fairways are narrow, and the rough is hard if you get into it.

*Strokes Gained Approach-the-Green: It’s a combination of hitting the green from the fairway or the rough.

*Putting inside 10 feet: This gauges how many putts a player makes inside ten feet. With Torrey having Poa Annua greens, making all of these putts is essential and challenging for players.

*Scrambling: The South Course is hard in this stat; before 2018, it was historically very high in this stat, as it was in the top ten on tour between 2011 and 2017. But in 2018, it ranked 19th, in 2019 it was 15th, in 2020 it was 4th, and in 2021 it ranked 5th hardest on tour. In 2022, it ranked 18th, and in 2023, it ranked 3rd. Last year, it ranked 7th on the PGA Tour.

116 of the 156 players from this year’s field with stats from 2025:

Click any column title in the table header to sort columns.

DraftKings Tips

*Here are the guys that are very costly:
  • Ludvig Aberg – $10,800
  • Hideki Matsuyama – $10,700
  • Tony Finau – $10,200
  • Sungjae Im – $10,000
  • Keegan Bradley – $9,900
  • Max Greyserman – $9,700
  • Will Zalatoris – $9,500
  • Jason Day – $9,300
  • Sahith Theegala – $9,100
  • Shane Lowry – $9,000

The folks at DraftKings have given us a lot of choices this week, but we have to be careful.  First you have Ludvig Aberg at $10,800, yes a good choice but a lot of money.  He makes many birdies and eagles, which means a lot of points, so that makes him a great pick.  One of the negatives on him is he had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee in September, so he may not be 100% for a bit.  Still, he is a good pick; he was T-9th in his first Farmers last year, 6th at the Hero, and T-5th at Sentry, so he is ready to go.  Hideki Matsuyama at $10,700 is the best choice, yes his record could be better at the Farmers but was T-13th last year and T-9th in 2023.  His overall stats work perfectly for him to play well, and remember he won twice in the last six months, including the Sentry just last month.  Tony Finau at $10,200 is a tough choice, on paper with his six top-tens in ten Farmers he is perfect, but he is still showing signs of him coming back from surgery in October.  So the bottom line is to be careful with him.  Sungjae Im at $10,000 is a great choice, and ready to pounce.  Yes, he was 3rd at the Sentry but missed the cut last week at the Amex.  Same with his Farmers record, he was T-6th in 2022 and T-4th in 2023 but missed the cut last year, so he too is someone to be careful over.  Keegan Bradley at $9,900 could be the right choice, he was 2nd at the Farmers in 2023 so he can play well at Torrey.  The real reason you take him is his record, at the Hero he was 5th, T-15th at the Sentry and T-6th at the Sony.  He wants to be a player at the Ryder Cup, and conventional wisdom says he needs to make his points in the next two months because it may get harder to do after the Masters when he gets busy with Ryder Cup coaching duties.  Max Greyserman at $9,700 is expensive, but he is playing well, finishing T-7th at the Amex.  He has played well since the U.S. Open, making all 13 cuts and being in the top seven five times.  Will Zalatoris at $9,500 is a very good choice.  He is close to 100% from his back surgery and has a great record at the Farmers, including a runner-up in 2022.  He has been solid of late, but he still hasn’t been in contention going into the final round.  In his last six starts, he has made all his cuts, and his best finish is T-12th last week at the Amex.  So he is prime to do well this week.  Jason Day at $9,300 is also primed and ready to go.  He has won twice at the Farmers, the last in 2018, but was T-3rd in 2022 and T-7th in 2023.  One thing to watch: he plays well in the west coast swing, was T-3rd last week at the Amex, so watch him for this week.  Sahith Theegala at $9,100 is also a person to watch, was T-4th at the Farmers in 2023, T-64th last year.  He has made cuts in the last six months, but his game wasn’t that great, finishing T-36th at the Sentry and T-37th at the Sony.  Shane Lowry at $9,000 is playing for the first time since November when he finished T-3rd at the DP World.  He had a lot of good finishes in 2024, and I see that he is carrying over to this week.

I like this feature, where we help you decide which guys make the cut the most in a tournament. Picking six players who play 72 holes is vital to playing well in Draftkings, and this list will help. It’s a look back to the start of the 2022 season to see how they do in making cuts. Of course, those who make a lot of cuts and are priced low are very helpful.

  • Tony Finau made 9 cuts in 10 starts for a 90.0% total.  His DrafKings cost is $10,200
  • Gary Woodland made 12 cuts in 14 starts for a 85.7% total.  His DrafKings cost is $7,200
  • Keegan Bradley made 11 cuts in 13 starts for a 84.6% total.  His DrafKings cost is $9,900
  • Maverick McNealy made 5 cuts in 6 starts for a 83.3% total.  His DrafKings cost is $8,900
  • Joseph Bramlett made 5 cuts in 6 starts for a 83.3% total.  His DrafKings cost is $6,900
  • Lanto Griffin made 5 cuts in 6 starts for a 83.3% total.  His DrafKings cost is $6,900
  • Brandt Snedeker made 14 cuts in 17 starts for a 82.3% total.  His DrafKings cost is $6,500
  • Hideki Matsuyama made 9 cuts in 11 starts for a 81.8% total.  His DrafKings cost is $10,700
  • Sungjae Im made 5 cuts in 6 starts for a 80.0% total.  His DrafKings cost is $10,000
  • Luke List made 8 cuts in 10 starts for a 80.0% total.  His DrafKings cost is $6,800
  • Shane Lowry made 4 cuts in 5 starts for a 80.0% total.  His DrafKings cost is $9,000
  • Michael Kim made 6 cuts in 8 starts for a 75.0% total.  His DrafKings cost is $7,200
  • Harris English made 8 cuts in 11 starts for a 72.7% total.  His DrafKings cost is $7,300
  • Justin Rose made 10 cuts in 14 starts for a 71.4% total.  His DrafKings cost is $7,600
  • Jason Day made 10 cuts in 15 starts for a 66.6% total.  His DrafKings cost is $9,300
  • Charley Hoffman made 14 cuts in 25 starts for a 56.0% total.  His DrafKings cost is $7,400

(The ones in bold are what I think is a great bargain.)

*Players in that $7,500 to $8,900 price range, which ones are worth the money?:

Maverick McNealy at $8,900, is a very savvy pick.  Has played well in the last couple of months including a win at the RSM.  There are no top tens yet at the Farmers, The best finish is 15th in 2020, but it should be good this week and next.  Taylor Pendrith at $8,800 is a good pick.  He was T-9th last year, has the right stats to play well at Torrey, and has played great since missing his last cut at the PGA Championship.  In the 13 events since, it was 5th at the 3M, T-5th at Barracuda, and 8th at the Shriners.  He does make points and is a good pick.  Luke Clanton is $8,500 and I think he will play great.  But I thought he would do the same at the Sony and missed the cut, we still have to watch him.  Thomas Detry at $7,900 is one of those players who grind it out each week.  He was T-5th at the Sentry and T-53rd at the Sony.  He played well in his two Farmers starts, T-37th in 2023 and T-20th last year.  Stephan Jaeger at $7,800 is always a great pick.  Was T-3rd at the Farmers last year and was T-3rd at the Sony Open.  Justin Rose is $7,600 is the right price for this past Farmers champion, the last couple of years has been great in the west coast swing

What are the “Bargains” out there?

Eric Cole at $7,400 could be the best pick this week.  He is cheap because he has missed the cut twice at the Farmers, but he was 5th at the Sony, another course that demands good driving and hitting greens.  Thriston Lawrence at $7,200, is a person to think about, playing at the Farmers for the first time, he has struggled of late, including missing the cut at Dubai, but he is a great European player who will make his mark on the PGA Tour.  Lee Hodges at $7,000, is a great pick since he makes a lot of cuts and is cheap.  He was T-5th at the RSM, T-10th at the Sony, and T-24th last week at the Amex.  He has missed the cut in all three Farmers starts but he will get it straight this week.  Lanto Griffin at $6,900, is a player to watch, has made five of six Farmers cuts, and was T-7th last week at the Amex.  Nate Lashley at $6,700 was T-3rd last year at the Farmers.

Here are some of the secrets of what it takes to play well at the Farmers Insurance Open

The key stat for the winner:
  • The South course can be stretched to over 7,750 yards, but don’t look for that length, although some tees will be back.  Driving will play an important role this week, fairways will be wet with very little run after a lot of rain the last week.  Look for those that do well in the total driving stat, which combines distance and accuracy.  In the past few years, the course has prided itself on heavy U.S. Open rough, making it tough to hit your shot into the green if you miss the fairway.  Last year, the south course was 3rd in rough proximity in 2023, and 7th last year, while in 2014 and ’15, the course was the hardest course in proximity to the hole, and in 2016, it was 2nd.  Last year, players in the rough averaged getting it 51 feet and 2 inches to the hole.  I see the same happening this year, so keeping it in the fairway is best.
Here are some more key stats to look for this week:
  • The course was revamped and toughened 24 years ago, plus the renovation since the 2019 event, so you know it has a “U.S. Open feel” to it.  In past years, this course had the reputation as the course that major winners are victorious on, as between 1992 and 2008, all the champions also had major victories except for one, Peter Jacobsen (in 1995, he did win a senior major?).  Nick Watney broke things up in 2009, Ben Crane in 2010, and Bubba Watson wasn’t a major winner when he won in 2011.  Brandt Snedeker kept the streak alive in 2012, but it was broken in 2013 when Tiger returned to the winner’s circle.  In 2015, Jason Day won, but it would be seven months before he won his first major at the PGA Championship.  In 2019, Rose won, and in 2021, Patrick Reed won; both are major champions, so you have to look at those who have won as players with an added edge.
  • One record that got broken in 2017 was Jon Rahm winning.  It was Rahm’s first start in the Farmers, and he had never won before on the PGA Tour, so he killed two birds with one stone, a first-time PGA Tour winner and a Farmers rookie winner.  Now Rahm joined two others to win for the first time on the PGA Tour.  The last rookie PGA Tour winner was in 1991 with Jay Don Blake, who won on the PGA Tour for the first time in his fifth Farmers start.  He joined Greg Twiggs, who in 1989, played his second Farmers and won his first PGA Tour victory. In the 67-year history of the Farmers, there are three first-time PGA Tour winners at the Farmers.  But that leaves one record left to Rahm, kind of.  Rahm is the only player to win the Farmers on his first start unless you count that Ted Kroll did the same thing in 1952.  The only thing is that Kroll was playing in the first Farmers event, so in a way, you really can’t count that since it was the first one, so Rahm is the holder of one of the unique records on the PGA Tour. But there is no need to think about this anymore since Matthieu Pavon won last year in his first Farmers start.
  • Greens are classified as “bumpy” and may play a role in determining the champion.  People who have played it in the last few days say they are perfect, but anything could happen.  Although the South greens were redone in 2001, Poa Annua has returned to almost 99% of the greens.  If it gets foggy in the morning, the Greens will be inconsistent and drive players a bit crazy.  Again, patience will be the key here.  There is a reason the greens are the hardest to putt on the PGA Tour, and more putts from 3 to 6 feet are missed on it.
  • The list of champions shows that scramblers have done very well in this event. Look for the player who can get it up and down to win. Last year, it ranked 7th, and in 2023, 3rd. In previous years, it ranked 5th in 2022, and in 2017 and 2016, it ranked 2nd in scrambling. In 2015, it ranked 10th, and in 2014, it ranked 8th toughest on tour. It has been in the top ten for the last 14 years.
  • One round is played on Torrey North, a course 507 yards shorter this year than the South.  In 2016, it played three and a half shots easier than the home South course.  In 2022, it was three and a half shots easier; in 2023, it was a half a shot under par, but last year, it was close to three shots harder. To win, the player needs to play great in his round on the North.  Since 1983, no champion has ever been over par on the North course, and except for six years, they have shot in the 60s, with 22 of the 38 shooting 67 or under.
  • Last year, Matthieu Pavon did a rarity, shooting 69 in the first round on the north course, but in the second round, shot 65 on the tougher South course. In 2023, Max Homa started with a 68 on the north course, the same with Luke List. In 2022, he shot 68 in the second round on the North course.  In 2021, Reed started his week by shooting 64 on the North Course.  In 2020, Marc Leishman shot 68 on the North Course in his first round.  In 2019, Justin Rose shot 63 on the North Course to begin the tournament.  In 2018, Jason Day shot 64 on the North Course, while in 2017, Jon Rahm shot 69.  In 2016, Brandt Snedeker shot 70. In 2015, Jason Day shot 65 on the North Course, so he was seven under on that course and 2 under on the South Course.  So, look for the champion to go low on the North Course.
  • With California-born Max Homa winning the Farmers in 2023, it brought up what used to be a great trivia question about how it seemed that those born, raised, going to school, living, and dying in California won the Farmers.
  • Before Matthieu Pavon, Luke List, Patrick Reed, Marc Leishman, Justin Rose, Jon Rahm, Jason Day, and Scott Stallings, California were on top at the Farmers. In the 26 Farmers between 1988 and 2013. 18 of the winners had California roots. The winners were Steve Pate, Greg Twiggs, Phil Mickelson, Craig Stadler, Mark O’Meara, Scott Simpson, Tiger Woods, John Daly and Nick Watney. Of the 71 Farmers played, 25 have roots in California, including players like Gene Littler, Bob Rosburg, and Billy Casper. Max Homa joined the list in 2023; he was born in Burbank, California, and went to school in Berkeley.  You may wonder why this statistic is significant.  Poa annua is a grass found mainly in California that gives those who play and know the grass a unique advantage, so it’s essential.

Who to watch for at the Farmers Insurance Open

Best Bets:

Hideki Matsuyama

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
T13 T9 T30 T53 T45 T3 T12 T33 CUT CUT T16

He is the best choice; yes, his record could be better at the Farmers, but he was T-13th last year and T-9th in 2023. His overall stats work perfectly for him to play well, and remember he won twice in the last six months, including the Sentry just last month.

Keegan Bradley

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
T43 2 T65 T16 T35 5 T4 CUT T41 T16 CUT

He could be the right choice, he was 2nd at the Farmers in 2023, so he can play well at Torrey. The real reason you take him is his record; at the Hero, he was 5th, T-15th at the Sentry, and T-6th at the Sony. He wants to be a player at the Ryder Cup, and conventional wisdom says he needs to make his points in the next two months because it may get more challenging to do after the Masters when he gets busy with Ryder Cup coaching duties.

Ludvig Aberg

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
T9

Yes, is a good choice. One of the negatives about him is that he had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee in September, so he may not be 100% for a bit. Still, he is a good pick. He was T-9th in his first Farmers last year, 6th at the Hero, and T-5th at Sentry, so he is ready to go.

Best of the rest:

Will Zalatoris

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
T13 CUT 2 T7 CUT

I think he is close to 100% from his back surgery and has a great record at the Farmers, including being a runner-up in 2022. He has been solid of late, but he still hasn’t been in contention going into the final round. He has made all his cuts in his last six starts, and his best finish is T-12th the previous week at the Amex. So he is prime to do well this week.

Jason Day

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
CUT T7 T3 CUT T16 T5 Win CUT CUT Win T2 T9

He has won twice at the Farmers, the last in 2018, but was T-3rd in 2022 and T-7th in 2023. One thing to watch: he plays well in the West Coast swing and was T-3rd last week at the Amex, so watch him for this week.

Sungjae Im

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
CUT T4 T6 T32 T36 T52

Yes, he was 3rd at the Sentry but missed the cut last week at the Amex. The same is true for his Farmers record. He was T-6th in 2022 and T-4th in 2023 but missed the cut last year, so he, too, is someone to be careful over.

Maverick McNealy

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
T37 T31 T30 CUT 15 T29

He has played well in the last couple of months, including a win at the RSM. There are no top tens yet at the Farmers. The best finish is 15th in 2020, but it should be good this week and next.

Taylor Pendrith

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
T9 T60 T16

He was T-9th last year, has the right stats to play well at Torrey, and has played great since missing his last cut at the PGA Championship. In the 13 events since, I was 5th at the 3M, T-5th at Barracuda, and 8th at the Shriners.

Eric Cole

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
CUT CUT

It could be the best pick this week. Yes, he has missed the cut twice at the Farmers, but he was 5th at the Sony, another course that demands good driving and hitting greens.

Solid contenders

Tony Finau

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
T6 T9 CUT T2 T6 T13 T6 T4 T18 T24

On paper, his six top-tens in ten Farmers are perfect, but he is still showing signs of returning from surgery in October. So, the bottom line is to be careful with him.

Thomas Detry

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
T20 T37

He is one of those players who grind it out each week. He was T-5th at the Sentry and T-53rd at the Sony. He played well in his two Farmers starts, T-37th in 2023 and T-20th last year.

Shane Lowry

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
T25 CUT T33 T13 T7

He is playing for the first time since November, when he finished T-3rd at the DP World. He had many good finishes in 2024, and I see that carrying over to this week.

Stephan Jaeger

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
T3 T53 CUT T66 CUT

He is always a great pick. He was T-3rd at the Farmers last year and was T-3rd at the Sony Open. Justin Rose

Long shots that could come through:

Max Greyserman

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
CUT

He is playing well finishing T-7th at the Amex. He has played well since the U.S. Open making all 13 cuts and been in the top seven five times.

Luke Clanton

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
First time playing in this event

I think he will play great. But I thought he would do the same at the Sony and he missed the cut, still have to watch him.

Lee Hodges

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
CUT CUT CUT

He makes a lot of cuts and is cheap. He was T-5th at the RSM, T-10th at the Sony, and T-24th last week at the Amex. He has missed the cut in all three Farmer’s starts, but he will get it straight this week.

Lanto Griffin

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
T64 T37 T30 T7 CUT T12

He is a player to watch, has made five of six Farmers cuts, and was T-7th last week at the Amex.

Nate Lashley

2025 ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13
T3 CUT

He was T-3rd last year at the Farmers.

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