Tee Time: 2017 Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego

The four-day PGA Tour golf tournament in Torrey Pines will bring top-notch players to the links, plus lots of parties

It’s time for tee in San Diego: the 2017 Farmers Insurance Open starts Thursday, bringing the best of the PGA Tour to the links – plus plenty of opportunities for mixing and mingling.

The prestigious PGA Tour golf tournament runs Thursday through Sunday at the scenic Torrey Pines Golf Course. Fans will be able to see their favorite players, including Tiger Woods, who will make his 2017 on the course.

[G] Tee Time: 2017 Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego

Woods played early Wednesday in the Zurich Pro-Am at Torrey Pines Golf Course. Phil Mickelson, a three-time winner of the event, also played in the Pro-Am Wednesday. They were both back on the links Thursday, teeing off in front of large crowds:

NBC 7’s Todd Strain caught Tiger Woods taking his first tee in Day 1 of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course on Jan. 26, 2017.
NBC 7’s Todd Strain caught Phil Mickelson taking his first tee in Day 1 of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course on Jan. 26, 2017.

Woods has won eight times as a professional playing at the Torrey Pines Golf Course, including his last major championship at the 2008 U.S. Open. He loves the tracks on the San Diego coast and his appearance at the Farmers Insurance Open will certainly be a big draw for spectators.

Woods won the Farmers Insurance Open in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2013.

As Woods teed off in the tournament Thursday, a huge crowd followed the links legend from hole to hole.

As the weekend at Torrey Pines unfolds, Woods and Mickelson will be joined on the green by several players with ties to San Diego, including Poway High School alum and four-time PGA Tour winner Charley Hoffman, San Diego State University alums J.J. Spaun and Xander Schauffele, and Torrey Pines High School graduates Michael Kim and Pat Perez.

Spectators can purchase several ticket options for the tourney, depending on which day they want to head to the links and what they want to do when they get there. 

Several party “zones” along the course will offer food, drinks and music.

The Servpro Fan Village, for instance, is located at the convergence of three holes: behind the 15th green, adjacent to the 17th fairway and a few hundred feet from the 18th tee. Farmers Insurance Open organizers call that area the “epicenter” of the action.

That area includes a 30,000-square-foot Michelob ULTRAZone serving free samples of Michelob ULTRA, plus food offerings.

NBC 7 got a look at this zone Thursday, and the views were stunning:

That’s also where Harrah’s Resort SoCal will host the Post Party Thursday, Friday and Saturday, once the last group has played through the 15th hole. The bash begins around 3:30 p.m. each day and will feature live music, food and Happy Hour drink specials. This area can be accessed by purchasing a Grounds ticket to the tournament.

There’s also a section dubbed The Fringe (on the 15th green), an open-air sports bar where Harrah’s Resort SoCal will offer artisan snacks and a premium drinks. See ticket prices for The Fringe here.

The Surf Club, an open-air venue off the 17th green and overlooking the 18th tee, boasts an outdoor patio where spectators can watch the action. Surf Club tickets can be purchase here.

The Farmers Insurance Open is January 26th-29th at Torrey Pines Golf Course. Many of the PGA’s top players are in the field, including Tiger Woods. Century Club CEO and Tournament Director Peter Ripa joined NBC 7’s Todd Strain to preview the tournament.

Meanwhile, between the 7th and 18th fairways, spectators will find The ZTE Grove, an area where fans can recharge their mobile devices and grab a drink in some 21+ sections. The Grey Goose 19th Hole (located on the north side of the par-3 8th green) will serve Grey Goose cocktails, also with breathtaking views. The William Hill Wine Lounge (located on the south side of the 8th) will offer a bevy of wine varietals from William Hill.

The Vantage Point – located near the 1st tee and 18th hole of the South Course also offers some nice rest areas. There’s La Cantina (behind the 1st tee on the South Course, near the Pro Shop) which serves the Torrey Breakfast Burrito (egg, potato, cheddar cheese and fresh salsa), mimosas, margaritas and more.

At The Vantage Point golf fans will also find the practice putting green where they can watch the pros as they prepare to play. There’s also an autograph area where fans can meet their favorite players after the round and the Torrey Pines Golf Shop where fans can buy official swag from the tournament.

For Citi Card members, there’s also a little area on the 14th green called the Citi Card Member Club, which will feature some fun elements, too.

Coronado golfer Brian Smock qualified to play in the 2016 Farmers Insurance Open. For Smock, playing a PGA event at Torrey Pines is a dream come true. NBC7’s Todd Strain has more.

Finally, for small and medium-sized groups, there's The Trophy Club presented by Genesis, an upscale venue with all of the action of the finishing hole of the tournament. This VIP section includes indoor seating and a tiered patio, plus an all-inclusive bar and food.

With food and drink vendors galore, it’s easy to spend an entire day (or the whole weekend, really) at the golf tournament. Check out the Farmers Insurance Open website for tickets, tips for planning your day at the golf course and details on who is serving what as you take in the tourney and those spectacular, unmatched ocean views that make this event a favorite among golf pros and fans alike.

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