Tiger Woods. Torrey Pines. It's The 2017 Farmers Insurance Open Preview.

Riggs1/25/2017 10:05 PM

Good afternoon, folks. This is as excited for a golf tournament as I’ve been since the Ryder Cup. It’s the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines but, more importantly, it’s Tiger baby. Eldrick is back. Eldrick is starting in a full-field tourney. Eldrick is home.

By home of course I mean returning to Torrey, the scene of 8 professional wins (7 Farmers Insurances, 1 US Open) and a World Junior Championship for Tiger. He fucking loves this place, so much so that several years before the 2008 US Open, when it was announced Torrey would play host, he would chit-chat with then-caddie Steve Williams about where he thought they’d put the pins in 2008, which tees he thought they’d experiment with, etc.

Tiger Woods. Torrey Pines. He’s begun his season here every “real year” since ’06 (basically when he’s healthy, he starts at Torrey). He won this event in ’99, ’03, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’08, and most recently in ’13.

But he hasn’t started a real event since August 2015. Yes he made it through 72 holes in December but that was an 18-man field and, after a withdrawal, he finished 15/17.

It’s the real deal this week. The real test. He withdrew here a couple years ago with back spasms during one of his many failed comebacks. We’re praying this week will be different. Let’s do this.

History

Many people are saying the Tour season doesn’t really start until Torrey. That’s not true but with the wraparound now and the casual Aloha swing, it might as well be. The season starts when Tiger starts and Tiger starts at Torrey. I could (do) subscribe to that notion.

The Farmers Insurance began in 1952 as the San Diego Open. It landed on a few different sponsors over the years until, in 2010, it became the Farmers Insurance Open.

Tiger’s of course won here a million times. Phil’s won here three times. Brandt Snedeker is the defending champ, and also won in 2012. Meany of the greats — Arnie, Jack, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller — have all won here.

Bottom line — it’s a historic stop, a staple event of the PGA Tour. Big names play and win here.

The Track

Torrey Pines has a North and a South Course. For the first 36 holes, players split between the two. For the final 36, they play the South Course. The South is our focus (although the North just underwent a $12 million remodeling).

The course is longer.
The greens are bigger.
The nines have been flipped.
The new Torrey Pines North. https://t.co/drJ7EiQHo7 pic.twitter.com/BLF5b5cwWi
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 25, 2017

Let’s look at the South.

Tough. Straightforward. Elevation change. Torrey Pines is a place players universally like. They respect. It doesn’t try to trick you or deceive you or steal yo girl — it just tries to fuck you the old-fashioned way. It’s hosted golf’s toughest test and will again in 2021. It’s got teeth.

7,600 yards. Par 72, with a 78.1 rating/144 slope. Yikes.

Notable Holes

3rd, 198-yard par 3

You’re hitting from an elevated tee to a shallow green surrounded by trouble and, probably more notably, cliffs and oceans and views and shit. It’s amazing.

Rocco Mediate damn near holed out for an ace here in the 18-hole Monday playoff against Tiger in ’08. That set the tone; Rocco was not fucking around, and he pushed to 19 holes (not our kind of 19th hole).

13th, 614-yard par 5

This hole’s a beast. If it’s into the wind, guys aren’t getting home in two. If downwind, a couple hard rips can get you there. Phil famously put up a 9-spot in the third round in ’08.

While Tiger, the same day, made this WILD eagle.

Fucking guy is so electric.

18th, 571-yard par 5

One of the great par-5 finishing holes in the game, the 18th really brings it. Typically we tout great par-4 finishing holes — Augusta, Oakmont, Quail Hallow, St. Andrews, Sawgrass to name a few — but Torrey’s 18th is establishing itself as one of the great 5-par finishers (one could argue Pebble’s is also decent).

A big reason Torrey’s 18th is gaining in ground? Things like this.

And things like the greatest putt in the history of the game (36 second mark).

My New Shoes

Little side note here: Got bored and hungry for everything golf last week so I impulse-ordered these puppies. Can’t decide how I feel.

Honestly can't tell if I love or hate my new golf kicks pic.twitter.com/6aI7E4YGqV
— Riggsy (@RiggsBarstool) January 25, 2017

@RiggsBarstool Thoughts on shoes
— Riggsy (@RiggsBarstool) January 25, 2017

The Field

A lot of big names in the field this week. J-Day’s in town; he, DJ and Tiger are paired together Thursday and Friday. We also have red-hot Hideki Matsuyama and guys like Rickie, Phil, Rose, Jimmy Walker, and defending champ Brandt Snedeker in the field. And British legend Andrew “Beef” Johnston.

“Even-redder-hot-than-Hideki-Matsuyama” Justin Thomas is off again this week; he’ll be back in Arizona next week for the Phoenix.

Predictions

Winning Score

Nobody’s finished double-digits under par here since 2013. Last year, Sneds won at 6-under. That’s my kinda test. They’ve been getting much-needed rain out west of late, so it should be soft and these guys will do better than 6. Tiger was 14-under in 2013 and I think we’re going to see that hold up again.

Winning score prediction: -14.

Winner

Tiger Woods. Hi haters.

The Steven Bowditch Memorial DFL Award

Also Tiger Woods. I’m unlikely to get both right, but may just get one.

Tiger’s Swing

Sex.

There's a green down there. Torrey north 15 @TigerWoods pic.twitter.com/kP0irDPqL9
— Ben Everill (@BEverillPGATOUR) January 25, 2017

Tiger Shirts

Sex.

Tiger's got new clubs and we've got a new spring themed (wink) Tiger shirt on sale. What a day. https://t.co/9Ep3yDOKtv pic.twitter.com/qQA8dDO9OM
— Trent (@BarstoolTrent) January 25, 2017

Coverage

Thursday: Golf Channel 3-7PM
Friday: Golf Channel 3-7PM
Saturday: Golf Channel 1-2:30PM; CBS 3-6PM
Sunday: Golf Channel 1-2:30PM; CBS 3-6:30PM

Clubhouse