Tour News
7 best bets at the 2016 Farmers Insurance Open
The PGA Tour makes its way to La Jolla, California, this week at the Farmers Insurance Open where players will tee it up at the Torrey Pines Golf Course. That also means another new week of fantasy competition, where you’ll have the chance to win big cash on DraftKings.
In this week’s fantasy contest, $450,000 is up for grabs with $100,000 going to the winner. Many of the best professional golfers on the PGA Tour are scheduled to play over the next few days in Southern California; so don’t miss out on your opportunity to pick, play, and win, especially since I am here to help by highlighting my best bets to consider below.
Enter here to compete for $450,000 in cash prizes.
The Courses
The Farmers Insurance Open is played at two sister courses, the North Course and South Course, both of which are part of the Torrey Pines Golf Course. The North Course is approximately 7,052 yards in length, plays to a par of 72, and is often considered the easier of the two courses. The South Course is almost 7,700 yards in length, but also plays to a par of 72. The South Course was also sight of the 2008 U.S. Open, where Tiger Woods, a native of Southern California, last won a professional major championship beating Rocco Mediate in a Monday playoff.
The weekend at the Farmers Insurance Open is limited to play on the South Course, which finishes on the 570 yard par-5 18th hole. Reachable in two, it features a small pond at the front left side of the green, making the 2nd shot practically an all-or-nothing gamble. This year’s field, includes defending champion,Jason Day, world No. 4 Rickie Fowler, and World Golf Hall of Fame member Phil Mickelson.
See my seven best bets below.
Spencer Levin ($6,600)
2016 PGA Tour Statistics
- FedExCup Ranking: 48th
- Official World Golf Ranking: 281st
- Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green: 0.641 (49th)
- Strokes Gained: Putting: -0.443 (165th)
- Strokes Gained: Total: 0.197 (94th)
- Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders: 41.46% (142nd)
- Birdie or Better Conversion Leaders: 31.10% (105th)
- 2015 Finish at the Farmers Insurance Open: T-11th
With 183 career PGA Tour starts and almost $7 million in career earnings, Levin has put together a respectable resume since turning professional in 2005. In 2011 alone, he made over $2 million while posting 13 top-25 finishes in 31 total events (made 25 cuts). So far in 2016, Levin’s posted 3 top-20 finishes in seven events with five made cuts to his credit. His best finish came at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba where he finished T-10th.
Levin is a good bet to not only make the cut this week, but post a top-20 finish. At $6,600, it is unlikely you are going to find much better return for your money. Levin struggles with the putter, but is a California native and played well in this event before. He’s a great fit in any lineup looking for potential value without risking much cash.
Jim Herman ($6,800)
2016 PGA Tour statistics
- FedExCup Ranking: 45th
- Official World Golf Ranking: 184th
- Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green: 0.078 (96th)
- Strokes Gained: Putting: -1.100 (199th)
- Strokes Gained: Total: -1.023 (165th)
- Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders: 47.56% (86th)
- Birdie or Better Conversion Leaders: 28.28% (159th)
- 2015 Finish at the Farmers Insurance Open: T-32nd
Herman is known as a strong ball-striker (finished third in 2015 in that PGA Tour category, while currently second in 2016) with a penchant for struggling on Tour-level greens. That said, Herman’s 2016 statistics are pedestrian, at best, but he has made 6/7 cuts in 2016 with three top-20 finishes, including, a T-10th at the CIMB Classic in Malaysia.
Having made the cut last year, Herman returns to a tournament where he can post another 2016 top-10, despite a balky putter. These two golf courses, and in particular, the South Course, favor the capable ball-striker. Don’t put Herman on your team expecting a win, but if you need value to fill out an otherwise competitive team consider this guy.
Lucas Glover ($7,400)
2016 PGA Tour Statistics
- FedExCup Ranking: 37th
- Official World Golf Ranking: 324th
- Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green: 0.353 (76th)
- Strokes Gained: Putting: 0.184 (88th)
- Strokes Gained: Total: 0.538 (67th)
- Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders: 40.28% (156th)
- Birdie or Better Conversion Leaders: 29.24% (156th)
- 2015 Finish at the Farmers Insurance Open: T-24th
It was not too long ago that I selected Glover as a “bad bet” at the RSM Classic. Not only did Glover play well that week, he posted a top-10, finishing T9 — his best finish of the 2016 PGA Tour season to date. A season in which he’s made 5/6 cuts and posted three top-20 finishes overall.
Statistically, the difference for Glover between a still young 2016 season and 2015 is his putting. In 2015, Glover was 184th in Strokes Gained: Putting with a -1.352 differential, as compared to 2016 where he is 88th at 0.184. Glover is also a documented stud from tee-to-green, but has had notorious struggles with the putter. Don’t forget, however, he is also a three-time PGA Tour winner, including, the 2009 U.S. Open Championship, where he outlasted some of the best players of the Tiger Woods generation.
Patrick Rodgers ($7,600)
2016 PGA Tour Statistics
- FedExCup Ranking: 26th
- Official World Golf Ranking: 100th
- Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green: 1.933 (7th)
- Strokes Gained: Putting: -0.315 (151st)
- Strokes Gained: Total: 1.619 (9th)
- Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders: 62.12% (14th)
- Birdie or Better Conversion Leaders: 32.38% (79th)
- 2015 Finish at the Farmers Insurance Open: DNP
I am not the first person to jump on the Patrick Rodgers bandwagon, but I will likely remain on it the longest. Rodgers may be best known for winning 11 times in three years, while playing college golf at Stanford University. You may know him for earning PGA Tour membership as Special Temporary Member after finishing T2 last May at the Wells Fargo Championship (won by Rory McIlroy). Rodgers will likely be known as a PGA Tour winner before the books close on 2016.
In five events so far this season, Rodgers has made five cuts and posted four top-20 finishes, including, a T6 at the Frys.com Open. Rodgers’ 2016 statistics speak volumes, and with an average to better-than-average exhibition on the greens, it will be no surprise if he breaks through this week in San Diego for his first PGA Tour victory. He’s an absolute steal at $7,600.
Nick Watney ($7,600)
2016 PGA Tour Statistics
- FedExCup Ranking: 113th
- Official World Golf Ranking: 134th
- Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green: 0.379 (74th)
- Strokes Gained: Putting: -0.049 (124th)
- Strokes Gained: Total: 0.330 (85th)
- Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders: 44.64% (113th)
- Birdie or Better Conversion Leaders: 27.55% (170th)
- 2015 Finish at the Farmers Insurance Open: T-7th
Watney’s 2016 statistics would otherwise keep him off this list of “best bets” under normal circumstances, but as a former winner of this event (2009), coupled with a top-10 finish last year, he’s still worth the gamble. He’s made 3/4 cuts this season, but only posted one top-20 finish at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. To boot, he missed the cut last week at the CareerBuilder Challenge in Palm Springs.
Even at $7,600, Watney is still a bargain, given his upside and potential at this particular event. Odds are this trip to San Diego and Torrey Pines Golf Course will jump start a golfer (i.e., Watney), who has previously closed on five PGA Tour victories. At a higher price, opinions understandably may vary, but so much possibility for so little cash justifies Watney’s spot on your team this week.
Charles Howell III ($9,400)
2016 PGA Tour Statistics
- FedExCup Ranking: 19th
- Official World Golf Ranking: 124th
- Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green: 0.622 (51st)
- Strokes Gained: Putting: 0.344 (52nd)
- Strokes Gained: Total: 0.966 (33rd)
- Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders: 53.33% (40th)
- Birdie or Better Conversion Leaders: 31.56% (97th)
- 2015 Finish at the Farmers Insurance Open: T5
Irrespective of what the remainder of CH3’s PGA Tour career ultimately looks like, he will almost undoubtedly be known as an underachiever at the professional level. Notwithstanding the fact that he won twice, this is mainly due to his prolific junior golf career and successful college career at powerhouse Oklahoma State University. With almost $30 million in career earnings alone, that’s a discussion for another day (as I vehemently disagree), but still noteworthy. In 2016, to date, CH3 has made 7/7 cuts and posted six top-20 finishes (only non-top 20 finish was his 70th place finish in Las Vegas), including, a T10 at the CIMB Classic.
Likely best known currently as one of the original PXG Troops for PXG Golf, CH3’s ongoing consistent play and success at this event last year, make it tough to keep him off this list of “best bets.” CH3 is not cheap this week, but his tendency to play well in spurts and history of cashing big checks, make it easy to invest $9,400.
Brandt Snedeker ($10,700)
2016 PGA Tour Statistics
- FedExCup Ranking: 12th
- Official World Golf Ranking: 24th
- Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green: 0.563 (59th)
- Strokes Gained: Putting: 0.896 (12th)
- Strokes Gained: Total: 1.459 (16th)
- Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders: 46.15% (105th)
- Birdie or Better Conversion Leaders: 33.33% (59th)
- 2015 Finish at the Farmers Insurance Open: T-19th
Sneds is the fifth-most expensive player this week at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego. He’s a seven-time PGA Tour winner, including 2012 champion at this same event. In 2016, Sneds has only made 60 percent (3/5) of his cuts, but lost in a playoff at the Sony Open in Hawaii to Fabian Gomez and finished third (the prior week) at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
The numbers suggest that Sneds is striking the ball well and making putts, which, as you know, is often a winning combination. Having switched drivers earlier this year, Sneds’ Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green has improved, along with gaining 11.5 yards in length. Always known to be one of the PGA Tour’s best putters, all signs point to a strong week at Torrey Pines for Sneds. Maybe even another win.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.
As usual, general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums — including some pretty spicy custom putters and headcovers — await your viewing.
Be sure to check back for more photos from the Big Easy, as we’ll continue to update this page with additional galleries throughout the week.
General Albums
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #2
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Alex Fitzpatrick – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Austin Cook – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Alejandro Tosti – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- MJ Daffue – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Nate Lashley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- James Nicholas – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Kevin Streelman – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rasmus Hojgaard – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Tom Whitney – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- SangMoon Bae – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Daniel Berger – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rory McIlroy – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Russ Cochrane – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Aldrich Potgieter – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Steve Stricker WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Drew Brees WITB (Legendary New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Thriston Lawrence WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
Pullout Albums
- MJ Daffue’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Cameron putters – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Swag covers ( a few custom for Nick Hardy) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Custom Bettinardi covers for Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Doug Ghim’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Patrick Cantlay spotted testing a Scotty Cameron blade putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.
We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.
We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.
Check out links to all our photos, below.
General Albums
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #2
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Justin Thomas – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Rose – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Nick Dunlap – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Thomas Detry – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Austin Eckroat – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Jason Day – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Will Zalatoris – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Ludvig Aberg – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Collin Morikawa – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Sam Burns – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Stephen Jaeger – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
Pullout Albums
- Wyndham Clark’s Odyssey putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- JT’s new Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Thomas testing new Titleist 2 wood – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey putter with triple track alignment aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Scotty Cameron The Blk Box putting alignment aid/training aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey Ai One Eleven T putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Christian Bezuidenhout – testing new Callaway Ti 340 mini driver – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele testing the Callaway Ti 340 mini driver & the DUW – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Byeong Hun An, two new L.A.B. Golf putter builds with “T” alignment – 2024 RBC Heritage
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Valero Texas Open
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Valero Texas Open.
The event has been around since 1922, making it one of the oldest on the PGA Tour calendar. Over the years, it’s been held at a variety of courses across the Lone Star State, but it’s found its home at TPC San Antonio in recent years. Some of the biggest names in golf have taken home the title here, including Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, and Ben Crenshaw.
GolfWRX has its usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs and special pull-out albums. As always, we’ll continue to update the links below as more photos come in from TPC San Antonio.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Ben Taylor – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Paul Barjon – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Joe Sullivan – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Wilson Furr – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Willman – SoTex PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Jimmy Stanger – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Rickie Fowler – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Harrison Endycott – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Vince Whaley – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Kevin Chappell – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Christian Bezuidenhout – WITB (mini) – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Scott Gutschewski – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
Pullout Albums
- Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Taylor with new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Swag cover – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Greyson Sigg’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Davis Riley’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Josh Teater’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hzrdus T1100 is back – – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Mark Hubbard testing ported Titleist irons – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Tyson Alexander testing new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Cobra putters – 2024 Valero Texas Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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