PGA Tour Golf
West Coast Swing
This week, the PGA Tour remains in California and heads to Torrey Pines in La Jolla. The tournament will be played on two courses: the North Course and the South Course. Over the first two days, players will alternate between the two courses, and those who make the cut will exclusively play the South Course for the final two days. The South Course, which hosted the US Open in 2008 and 2021, is more renowned.
The North Course is a par 72 that spans 7,258 yards. It underwent renovation in 2016, including the replacement of its poa annua greens with bent grass greens and the relocation of several bunkers. However, compared to the South Course, the North Course is generally easier by about 2-3 shots. A strong performance on the North Course is essential for any player aiming to contend for the title.
The South Course, where Tiger Woods and Jon Rahm emerged victorious in the 2008 and 2021 US Opens, respectively, is the longer of the two courses, measuring 7,765 yards. Due to the recent rainfall in California, the course is considerably soft, making it play even longer than usual. Driving distance will be a critical factor this week, while accuracy will also be important due to the thick and healthy rough resulting from the rain. Bombers, such as Jon Rahm, have enjoyed success at this course because of the length, and players like Patrick Reed, Marc Leishman, and Justin Rose, who excel in challenging conditions, have also secured victories here.
For this event, it is advisable to focus on strong tee-to-green players who can thrive in difficult conditions.
Key Stats to Consider:
- Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green (SG: T2G)
- Strokes Gained: Approach (SG: Approach)
- Strokes Gained: Putting on Poa Annua (SG: Putting)
- Total Driving
Now, let’s move on to our picks for the event:
Max Homa 11/1
One of the best in quiet a weak field and should be one to watch come Tee Off.
Jason Day @25/1
Day secured a third-place finish here in 2022, primarily propelled by a strong round on the North Course. While his performance on the South Course was decent, his current form is better than it was at this stage last year, suggesting he could finish in the top 3 or top 5 once again.
Taylor Montgomery @80/1
Montgomery is a solid each-way pick. He showed improvement over the past year, and we believe he can surpass his 11th-place finish here in previous years tournament.
The Farmers Insurance Open is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played in the San Diego, California, area in the early part of the season known as the “West Coast Swing”. The tournament was noted for having singer-actor Andy Williams as a celebrity host from 1968 through 1988.
Image Credit: pgatour.com
0 Comments