It isn’t a complete surprise to see Tiger Woods make his much-anticipated return here at Torrey Pines. He has fared extremely well in this particular golf course, winning eight times on the PGA Tour in this venue, including his last major championship, the 2008 U.S. Open. How good is Woods here? The 14-time major champion has more victories (eight) in this course than he does rounds over par (six). Woods showed glimpses of his old form at the Hero World Challenge last December, posting a tournament-high 24 birdies. Can he shock the world and win in his first official start worldwide in 522 days? We’re about to find out this week.
Looking for a worthy sleeper this week? How about Charles Howell III? The 37-year-old has been playing some solid golf of late, notching top-15 finishes in each of his last five starts. The Georgia native also loves playing in the Farmers Insurance Open as evidenced by his top-2o finishes in this tournament in three of the last four years. With the form that he is in right now and his experience with this particular event, look for Howell to add to his trophy collection this week.
Another golfer who can definitely make a strong run at the Farmers Insurance Open title is Hudson Swafford. The American has been playing some outstanding golf of late, finishing in the top-13 in each of his last two starts, including a thrilling victory at last week’s CareerBuilder Challenge. Key to Swafford’s resurgence has been his solid play with the driver. He is 11th in the PGA Tour in driving distance, averaging 308.6 yards per drive this season. That powerful swing will be a major weapon for Swafford when tackling the long 7,698-yard, par-72 Torrey South course.
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