Farmers Insurance Open: PGA Golf Odds And Betting Predictions
Expect an uptick of interest and betting action for the PGA Tour event this week, the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego. Why? Because Tiger Woods makes his first start of 2018 at a course he has dominated previously.
Farmers Insurance Open Betting: Tiger Woods Odds
The PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open is held at Torrey Pines in San Diego, and it’s probably Tiger Woods’ favourite course (non-Augusta version). He has won this tournament an incredible seven times. In addition, Tiger’s 14th and last major championship was the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines when, playing on essentially one leg, he beat Rocco Mediate in a very memorable 19-hole Monday playoff. Yes, it has now been a decade since Tiger won a major. Back troubles and off-the-course issues have sidetracked his chase of Jack Nicklaus’ records of 18 major championship victories.
Tiger’s last official PGA Tour event was this tournament a year ago. He missed the cut following rounds of 76-72. That was his first event in around 19 months following back surgery. The next week, Tiger flew to the Middle East to play in the Dubai Desert Classic on the European Tour. He struggled in the first round and withdrew because of back pain. Another surgery soon followed. Woods did play in an unofficial Tour event in December in the Bahamas run by his foundation, the Hero World Challenge. Woods finished tied for ninth in the 18-man field with three rounds in the 60s.
Woods last won this tournament in 2013 and is +2000 currently on the PGA golf odds board. You can also do a piñata pick on Woods’ finishing position at +7000. He will next play the Genesis Open on Feb. 15-18 at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. Woods made his PGA Tour debut as an amateur at Riviera 26 years ago.
Farmers Insurance Open Favourites and Canadians
It’s a good field at Torrey Pines with 11 of the world’s Top 25 set to tee it up. The South course is the main one at Torrey and measures 7,698 yards at par 72, but the North course will be used for the first two rounds. The defending champion is 23-year-old Spaniard Jon Rahm, who shot a final-round 5-under 67 last year to win by three – capping it by draining a 60-foot eagle putt on No. 18. Rahm played his final six holes in 5 under. The last repeat winner at this tournament was when Woods won his fourth straight in 2008.
Rahm is the +800 favourite and comes off a win last week up the California coast in the CareerBuilder Challenge – his first PGA Tour win since last year’s Farmers but also his fourth worldwide victory since then. Rahm defeated Andrew Landry on the fourth hole of sudden death and moved to No. 2 in the world rankings, behind only Dustin Johnson (who isn’t playing this week).
Rickie Fowler (+1000), Justin Rose (+1400) and Hideki Matsuyama (+1600) are right after Rahm as favourites. None of those three have won here. Former world No. 1 Jason Day of Australia did in 2015, and he’s +2000. Two-time Farmers champion Brandt Snedeker is +3300.
Among Canadian golfers, Adam Hadwin is +6600 and Nick Taylor +15000. Hadwin finished tied for third last week at 20 under. He has played this tournament four times with a best finish of T32 in 2015. Taylor was 20th last week after missing the cut in his previous two events. Taylor was 54th here last year and missed the cut in 2016. Mackenzie Hughes is a +30000 long shot. He has missed the cut in his past five outings overall and hasn’t played the Farmers.
Farmers Insurance Open Predictions
You will be able to bet on Tiger to make the cut, and I believe he will. A Top-10 finish is probably too much to ask yet, however. Take Rahm for another Top 10 as well as Rose. The winning choice is Tony Finau at +4000. He has played this tournament three times and improved his finish from 24th (2015) to 18th (2016) to fourth last year.