It is a Wednesday start at the beautiful but deadly Torrey Pines for the latest instalment of the great early season Tournament, the Farmers Insurance. I don’t know many farmers particularly in America but I expect they demand superb insurance policies and we need no insurance against this event being an absolute firecracker.
It may be early season but a superb field assembles on the clifftop above the pacific at one of golf’s most iconic settings. The players play the North and South courses on day 1 and 2 before those that make the cut play only the legendary South course to find a winner.
So many subplots this week such as will Bryson’s new Cobra Driver behave itself and if it does not how long before the great man blames somebody else? I will go for between 5 to 7 minutes personally. Will John Rahm continue to dominate the course like he has spent the last 4 years doing and if he does will he break into a smile? Will Rickie Fowler and Cameron Champ hit a fairway ? all these questions and many more will be answered by Saturday night! Yes Saturday night because we folks have a Wednesday start so let’s be ready to rumble in San Diego.
I have 2 selections for Against the Number that I feel will go deep into the week and offer excellent value. Anyone can select Rahm and Bryson but the Sportsbooks have those 2 right where they want them and they offer no value this week for us.
Selection
Win & Place Ryan Palmer +7000
Like a fine Californian Cabernet Palmer becomes more impressive with age and now at 45 he is at his peak. 5 PGA Tour wins behind him and he has begun the season in steady if not spectacular fashion with a 12th place in Hawaii. That will have put him spot on for this week and he has every shot in the bag for this course. He is long off the tee and an excellent iron player and if he has a good week on the greens and his putting stats suggest he may well then he is a contender and looks a very big price.
Selection
Win & Place Max Homa +7000
Last year’s winner of the Fortinet Championship beating Tony Finau in a play off and that win took him to a new level. At his most confident on the West Coast Homa is a birdie machine and plays to win, firing at every flag he can. He has learnt there is a time to back off but that attacking nature means when his game is firing he is very dangerous. This year his aim is to go to the next level and become a top 20 in the World player and a win here which he is capable of will set him along that path.
As always it is going to be one hell of a ride.
