Jon Rahm won the 2017 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. He didn’t win again until this past weekend when he took the Career Builder Challenge in the California desert for this 2nd career PGA Tour win.
Rahm just might make it three this week in San Diego.
The 23-year-old Spaniard has the kind of game that plays extremely well on the picturesque coastal course. He’s long off the tee (305 yard driving average) and hits a lot of greens (21st on Tour last year in Greens in Regulation), absolute necessities on a course that long and that punishing.
But Rahm, who is now ranked 2nd in the world will have plenty of competition when the tournament starts on Thursday on the North and South Courses. As has been the case in recent years, the best field of the year so far will assemble for the Farmers Insurance Open with 19 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Rankings teeing it up.
The biggest name on the list is that Tiger Woods guy. Woods is back from a back injury (again) and will make his 2018 PGA TOUR debut at Torrey Pines, a track where he’s won eight times as a professional. Tiger is one of several past champions who return to get another shot at the surfboard trophy along with Brandt Snedeker (2016, 2012), Jason Day (2015), Scott Stallings (2014), Ben Crane (2010), Nick Watney (2009), and San Diego native Phil Mickelson (2001, 2000, 1993).
Other players with San Diego ties who are in the field include:
Charley Hoffman: Poway High School alum and four-time PGA TOUR champion
J.J. Spaun: San Diego State University alum
Xander Schauffele: Scripps Ranch High School and San Diego State University alum
Michael Kim: Torrey Pines High School graduate
Jamie Lovemark: Torrey Pines High School graduate and Rancho Santa Fe native
Norman Xiong: Sophomore at Oregon University who played with San Diego-based Pro Kids/The First Tee
Coverage of the 2018 Farmers Insurance Open starts at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, January 25, on Golf Channel.
