Category: Farmers Insurance Open
2017 Farmers Insurance Open — Being played at a course Tiger has won 8 times
We’re back! No more tumor in my brain, and starting to feel better from the surgery, so time for more weekly previews. Though the fourth tournament of the year, this southern California event is by far the best full field tournament thus far and is on our first NFL-less weekend since September 2016 (we don’t count preseason or Pro-Bowl). A tournament with a lot to watch for coinciding with our first football-free weekend makes for an extra fun preview. But first, music:
Tiger
Yes, Tiger Woods is playing. And if you didn’t know that before reading this, then you really need to follow golf more because everyone’s been talking about him playing this week. This is his first tournament in 17 months! So get excited.
It’s really going to be interesting watching him and seeing how he plays. Back a few weeks ago when he played in the Hero World Challenge, Tiger had the most number of birdies, but still finished T15 (30 players total).
Basically he’s like Brett Favre. Brett really was a great quarterback when he played in the NFL, tons of touchdowns, tons of great passes, but anytime he had the lead going into the 4th quarter, all us Packer fans would sit there worried that he was going to mess up, throw an interception, and we’d lose the game because of it. Oh Brett.
TaylorMade
Oh yeah, the other thing about Tiger is his new clubs selection! Nike’s decision to get rid of making clubs meant two things. First, they decided to increase the number of clothes they’re going to make with the Nike swoosh, so Tiger, Rory, and now Jason Day will all be wearing that. Second, all the Nike sponsored players need to find a new brand for all their golf clubs! For example, Rory switched over to Callaway equipment a while ago before his injury. Tiger however, hadn’t told people what clubs he was switching to until this (Wednesday) morning! Drumroll please….
TaylorMade!!!!!! What’s interesting is what he claims to have done to determine which club brand to go with. Apparently he tested all different brands for several months and eventually chose TaylorMade because those clubs were “better” for him. But why did he actually choose TaylorMade? Like was it the quality of the their clubs that really made him decide to use those from now on? Or did it also have to do with the amount of money and advertising that they’re going to give to him?
2016 Farmers Insurance Open — Bum ba dum bum bum bum bum
Turns out it’s really hard to figure out how to spell the sound that JK Simmons and company do in the Farmers Insurance commercials. I’m also realizing that I haven’t seen those commercials in a while, so here’s an example to refresh your memory bank.
Feel free to leave that on repeat while reading this preview. Definitely would add to the experience.
Here’s what to watch for.
Surprisingly Decent Field
Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Phil, Sneds, Bill Haas, Patrick Reed, Hideki Matsuyama. Didn’t know Farmers was drawing this big of a field.
Tiger Limping
For those who’ve been reading my previews for a while, you should know that my favorite thing to do is mention Tiger when in all reality, he has no business being mentioned. But Tiger’s history at this tournament, and his performance at the US Open in 2008 at Torrey Pines, make mentioning him a requirement.
Tiger has won the Farmers Insurance Open 7 times, including 4 in a row from 2005-2008. Throw in a US Open in 2008 as well and he’s won at that place 8 times. Absolutely absurd given the talent on Tour.
Oof
It’s an interesting thought trying to figure out why a certain player always performs well at a venue. Layout makes a big difference, not necessarily knowing where to hit it, but also being comfortable with the looks off the tee; it’s tough to force visual comfortableness. Another factor is the grass type. Tiger grew up in Southern California where the kikuyu grass is all over. Knowing how the ball is going to react out of the rough is a big help. Or maybe, he just wanted to please his Buick overlords, considering this event was the Buick Invitational for 6 of his victories.
Farmers Insurance Open — Draft Kings DFS Picks
Get ready for the paragliders along the coast this week as the PGA Tour heads west and a little south from the Arizona desert to La Jolla, California and the Farmer’s Insurance Open. Everyone with a little professional golf knowledge remembers the 2008 US Open in prime time when Tiger Woods made two eagles on the back nine on Saturday, and an eight foot snake of a putt to force a 18 hole playoff on Monday. Quick side note, can you imagine how much more dramatic it would have been if Tiger and Rocco had settled it that on Sunday instead of waiting overnight? Anyway, counting that win, Tiger has won 8 times total as a professional at Torrey Pines. So seeing Tiger listed as the 16th most expensive player — even below a Dustin Johnson who hasn’t played in 6 months — seems like an Oceans Eleven / Twelve / Thirteen level heist.
Well, unfortunately for Danny Ocean and his crew, it is not. With his second round 82 last Friday in Arizona, Tiger showed that his salary should probably be so far down that you would struggle to find his name in the mid $5,000s. But I guess past success should be honored at a course he’s played so well at. Either way, I don’t think you can put much stock in him making the cut, or at least at a high enough percentage to make him a good pick at any salary.
But now onto topics more fun than the fall of the most fun golfer to watch on TV in the past 22 years (22 since I’m counting his US Am wins which they showed on TV too).
Brooks Koepka — $10,100
Golf On The Mind 