Joe Champion
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A strong PGA Tour field has gathered in La Jolla, California, for the Farmers Insurance Open, which is being staged, as it has since 1968, at Torrey Pines Golf Course. Two Torrey courses are in play over the first 2 rounds of the event with the field rotating around the ultra-long South Course and the much shorter, easier North Course before the weekend action takes place exclusively on the South.
The South Course has also hosted 2 US Opens, won by 7-time Farmers champion Tiger Woods in 2008 and Jon Rahm in 2021. It measures at almost 7,800 yards, so driving distance is a distinct advantage on a course that tends to separate the elite from the also-rans.
Farmers Insurance Open golf picks and predictions
Collin Morikawa (+1200)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Amateur sensation Nick Dunlap will garner plenty of media attention after his American Express win but an elite Californian quartet dominate the betting with local man Xander Schauffele and defending champion Max Homa joined by Patrick Cantlay and Collin Morikawa.
Morikawa finished 2nd at The Sentry last season then 3rd at the Farmers, and he arrives in similar form this time around having finished 5th on his Hawaii reappearance, reaching 25-under despite losing strokes with the putter.
There will always be question marks over his putting but his ball-striking brilliance more than makes up for that at Torrey, where he was 4th at the US Open, again when failing to fire on the greens. Morikawa’s first PGA Tour title came in California, as did his 2020 PGA Championship win, and he’s full of confidence back in his home state having chalked up results of 6-1-7-5 from his last 4 starts.
Jason Day (+2500)
Odds available generally at time of publishing.
Torrey Pines takes some knowing and few boast better course credentials than 2-time winner Jason Day, who has won this title twice and registered five other top-10 finishes in the last 11 editions of the event. Day signed off last year with a win in the Grant Thornton Invitational alongside Lydia Ko, who won on the LPGA Tour last week, and the Australian is playing well enough to suggest he can win at one of his favorite events.
Harris English (+5000)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Harris English was 3rd in the aforementioned US Open and looks back to his best having finished 10th in the Sony last time out.
Sahith Theegala (+4000)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Local hero Sahith Theegala was 4th in this tournament last season and a Sentry runner-up. He looks to be underestimated in the betting.
