This article is part of our Yahoo PGA DFS Picks series.
Farmers Insurance Open
San Diego, California
Torrey Pines (South Course) - Par 72 - 7,698 yards
Torrey Pines (North Course) - Par 72 - 7,258 yards
Field - 156 Entrants
Purse - $7.1M
The Preview
Sunny San Diego's Torrey Pines has played host to the Farmers Insurance Open since 1968, as the PGA Tour now embarks on its second leg of the West Coast Swing following Adam Long's maiden victory at the Desert Classic. Last week just over 100 miles up the road in La Quinta, the top four finishers combined for an overall score of 100-under-par as perfect weather and elementary course layouts provided an abundance of par-breaker chances. The beautiful weather should remain constant again this week, but in contrast the South Course at Torrey Pines presents a legitimate challenge. Three of four rounds will be played at this lengthy par-72 venue, with an oceanic breeze expected to pick up early Saturday afternoon following a 36-hole cut. Tiger Woods tied the tournament scoring record at 22-under here in 1999, but the South Course was the eighth-toughest layout on Tour last year. Speaking of Woods, he'll be making his 2019 debut here this week as one of nine entrants in the top-15 of the Official World Golf Ranking as there will be no shortage of star power in the field.
Recent Champions
2018 - Jason Day
2017 - Jon Rahm
2016 - Brandt Snedeker
2015 - Jason Day
2014 - Scott Stallings
2013 - Tiger Woods
2012 - Brandt Snedeker
2011 - Bubba Watson
2010 - Ben Crane
Key Stats to Victory
Driving distance - Each of the top-6 ranked players in terms of driving distance placed T12 or better at Torrey Pines in 2018
Par-4 and Par-5 scoring - Ryan Palmer, Jason Day and Alex Noren ranked 1-2-3 in P4 and P5 scoring en route to forcing a playoff at 10-under-par overall last year
Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green - Last season only 10 entrants were able to hit 50 or more greens in regulation here
Putting inside 10 feet - Poa annua greens on the South Course can result in bumpy conditions near the hole, emphasizing the importance of a confident stroke inside 10 feet
Yahoo Value Picks - based on $200 salary cap
Cream of the Crop
Jon Rahm - $47
Rahm heads to Torrey Pines as the betting favorite for a second straight week following a sixth-place finish at the Desert Classic, where he led the field in SG: Off-the-Tee. The Spaniard has placed top-8 in four consecutive starts, a span highlighted by his recent win at the Hero World Challenge. Additionally, Rahm picked up a commanding three-stroke victory at the Farmers Insurance Open during his debut at the event in 2017.
Tony Finau - $43
Coming off a runner-up result at the Hero World Challenge, Finau will be making his 2019 debut at the Farmers Insurance Open where he's never finished worse than a tie for 24th. Finau went T6-T4 in the past two editions of the event, though he now leads the Tour in driving distance and is sixth in par-5 scoring.
Marc Leishman - $40
Leishman's extraordinary recent form includes four top-4s in five starts since a win at the CIMB Classic, ascending to third in the FedExCup standings and fifth in SG: Total. The Aussie also owns a quartet of top-10 finishes at the Farmers Insurance Open and isn't bothered by windy conditions along the coast. He ranks sixth on Tour in birdie average and third in rough proximity this season.
Glue Guys
Alex Noren - $36
The Swede was taken down by Jason Day in a playoff here last year, though Noren led the entire field in GIR percentage throughout the tournament. He hasn't finished outside of the top-25 since early September's Dell Technologies Championship and presents quality value at this price given his standing of No. 21 in the OWGR.
Brandt Snedeker - $33
The two-time champion's poppy putting stroke has been effective on these poa annua greens, allowing Snedeker to find success at Torrey Pines despite his evident lack of power. He's made the cut in 10 of 12 appearances at the event, including seven top-10s. Snedeker has finished no worse than a T36 in five starts dating back to the CJ Cup.
Abraham Ancer - $31
Ancer is up to seventh on Tour in SG: Off-the-Tee after posting his fifth consecutive top-30 last week at the Desert Classic. He's also 26th or better in both rough and fairway proximity, ultimately leading to a ranking of 12th in par-4 scoring. Furthermore, Ancer finished T20 at the 2018 Farmers Insurance Open.
Bargain Bin
J.J. Spaun - $28
Spaun placed T9 during his Torrey Pines debut in 2017 and followed that up with a T23 last year, when he tied for sixth among the field in birdies with 18. He hasn't missed a single cut since July's RBC Canadian Open and ranks 26th in SG: Approach.
J.B. Holmes - $27
Holmes' authority off the tee is a major factor at Torrey Pines, having finished top-6 in three of his last four trips to the Farmers Insurance Open. Not only is driving distance a huge plus for Holmes, as he also ranked 10th in proximity from the rough last season. He began his 2018-19 season with three consecutive top-25s from the Safeway Open through the CJ Cup before also making the cut at the Mayakoba.
Sam Burns - $23
Burns has battled consistency issues throughout his sophomore campaign on the PGA Tour with four missed cuts in seven starts, but he also notched a T3 at the Sanderson Farms Championship and is coming off a top-20 at the Desert Classic. Last week in La Quinta, Burns found success with the flat stick as he ranked second in SG: Putting. The 22-year-old is currently 29th on Tour in driving distance and 48th in putting from inside 10 feet.
Strategy Tips on Yahoo this week
A whopping 66 entrants were able to reach double-digit red numbers in La Quinta last week, so Torrey Pines will feel like a beast in comparison. Although the Farmers Insurance Open won't become a birdie fest like we saw at the Desert Classic, driving distance projects to play a major role in the collection of scoring opportunities. Therefore, a handful of bombers should be targeted in each lineup, though scrambling is another area to monitor given the difficulty of noble GIR percentages.
