Will Tiger Woods begin his PGA Tour season with an appearance at Torrey Pines for the Farmers Insurance Open Jan. 27-30? That was the question on the minds of many up until yesterday, Jan. 19, when he confirmed he would play “I’ve been working hard on my game, it’s game time hooah!!” the 35-year-old golfer tweeted yesterday. The PGA’s yearly visit to San Diego has become a long-standing tradition that draws some of the finest fields of the season. This year’s event is no different, boasting names like Phil Mickelson, Robert Allenby, Angel Cabrera, Stewart Cink, K.J. Choi, David Duval, Mike Weir, John Daly, Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson and last year’s returning champion, Ben Crane. “It’s an annual major sporting event here in San Diego that brings the PGA Tour’s best to San Diego,” tournament director Tom Wilson said. “It should be a great field of players.” One reason that so many good players like to come to Torrey Pines is because of its illustrious tradition, Wilson said. A former winners list reads like a “who’s who” of the games’ best players of all-time, including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tommy Bolt, Johnnie Miller, Mickelson and Woods. “We have a list of champions that could stand up to any other event on the tour,” Wilson said. The 2011 Farmers Insurance Open marks the 44th year the PGA has visited Torrey Pines and the 59th to San Diego. In 2008, the Torrey Pines south course hosted the U.S. Open, won by Woods. Wilson, who is in his 19th year as director, said some of the more memorable moments at the tournament include John Daly’s perfect flop shot from the bunker to win in 2004 and Mickelson’s first PGA victory in 1993. “We’re very grateful he lives in this area and has an allegiance to this area,” Wilson said of Mickelson, who lives in Rancho Santa Fe. “Since he got onto the PGA Tour he’s never missed a tournament. This year will be his 18th year in a row at Torrey Pines.” On the first two days of the Farmers Insurance Open, players will rotate between the north and south course. Those who make the cut will play out the final two rounds over the weekend on the more challenging south course. “We should have great conditions on the golf course, thanks to all that rain we had,” Wilson said. “It’s become one of the most challenging golf courses on the tour with all the renovations we’ve had done on the south course.” The Farmers Insurance Open is the first PGA stop of the 2011 season to be televised nationally. You can catch it on CBS on Saturday and Sunday. For ticket information visit www.farmersinsuranceopen.com/ tickets.
