Suvarna Garge (Editor)

Farmers Insurance Open

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Established
  
1952, 65 years ago

Par
  
72 - (both courses)

Farmers Insurance Open

Location
  
La Jolla, California, U.S.

Course(s)
  
Torrey Pines Golf Course

Length
  
7,698 yd (7,039 m) - South 7,258 yd (6,637 m) - North

Organized by
  
Century Club of San Diego

The Farmers Insurance Open is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played in the San Diego, California area in the early part of the season, known as the "West Coast Swing."

Contents

The tournament was noted for having singer-actor Andy Williams as a celebrity host from 1968 to 1988. It originated as the San Diego Open in 1952 and used that name in its title through 1985. Title sponsors were added in 1981, first with Wickes for two years, then three with Isuzu. Shearson Lehman Brothers became the title sponsors in 1986, replaced by Buick in 1992 and Farmers Insurance in 2010. The event is organized by The Century Club of San Diego.

Although the San Diego Open began in 1952, the PGA Tour recognizes two earlier events of the same name: Leo Diegel won both events, in 1927 and 1929.

Course history

The tournament was played at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista in 1952 and 1953, then moved in 1954 to Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, which had hosted the Crosby Pro-Am prior to World War II. The event was played at Mission Valley Country Club in San Diego in 1955 for one year, then went to Singing Hills Country Club in El Cajon in 1956. The tournament returned to Mission Valley C.C. in 1957 where it stayed through 1963. Mission Valley changed its name to Stardust Country Club in 1962 (and now is known as Riverwalk Golf Club). After one year in 1964 at Rancho Bernardo Country Club (now Rancho Bernardo Inn) in San Diego, it returned to Stardust C.C. for three years, through 1967.

In 1968, the event began its present relationship with Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, a 36-hole public facility owned by the City of San Diego. In the current tournament set-up, players split the first 36 holes between the North and South Courses, then play the final 36 holes on the South Course. In 2008, the South Course hosted the U.S. Open, won by Tiger Woods in a playoff.

Winners

  • (a) - amateur
  • * rain-shortened to 54 holes
  • ^ scheduled 54 holes

    • Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
    Sources

    Multiple winners

    Through 2017, eight players have won this tournament more than once:

  • 7 wins
  • Tiger Woods: 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013
  • 3 wins
  • Phil Mickelson: 1993, 2000, 2001
  • 2 wins
  • Tommy Bolt: 1953, 1955
  • Arnold Palmer: 1957, 1961
  • Steve Pate: 1988, 1992
  • J. C. Snead: 1975, 1976
  • Brandt Snedeker: 2012, 2016
  • Tom Watson: 1977, 1980

    • Records and trivia

  • Tournament course record:
  • Torrey Pines, North Course - 61, Mark Brooks, 1990, and Brandt Snedeker, 2007;
  • Torrey Pines, South Course - 62, Tiger Woods, 1999
  • Tiger Woods is the only seven-time winner of the tournament, and Phil Mickelson the only other to win more than twice.
  • Hall of Famer and San Diego native Gene Littler is the only amateur winner, achieving the feat in 1954, and awarded a five-piece tea set. Subsequently as a professional, Littler was a runner-up three times (1969, 1974, 1978).
  • A memorable year in the tournament's history was 1982, when Johnny Miller outdueled Jack Nicklaus to win by one stroke.
  • Tiger Woods (2005–08) won four straight years, then won the 2008 U.S. Open on the South Course in June.
  • J. C. Snead (1975–76) and Phil Mickelson (2000–01) won in consecutive years.
  • Heavyweight boxer Joe Louis was invited to play in the San Diego Open in 1952 on a sponsor's exemption;
  • Louis became the first African American ever to play in this PGA Tour event.

    • References

    Farmers Insurance Open Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA