Farmers_Insurance_Open

Farmers Insurance Open

Farmers Insurance Open

Golf tournament in San Diego, California, United States


The Farmers Insurance Open is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played in San Diego, California at Torrey Pines Golf Course. The tournament is held in the early part of the season known as the "West Coast Swing". The event originated as the San Diego Open in 1952; it used the name in its title through 1985. The tournament is organized by The Century Club of San Diego.

Quick Facts Tournament information, Location ...

History

Founded 72 years ago in 1952, the first two editions were played at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista.[2][3] In 1954, the San Diego Open was at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club,[4] which had hosted the Crosby Pro-Am prior to World War II.[5]

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 December 1927 and January 1929.[6][7][8] An autumn event in 1956 and 1957,[9][10] it was not held in 1958, then returned as a winter event in early 1959.[11] Since 2022, it has started on Wednesday and concluded on Saturday, a day prior to the conference championships of the NFL playoffs.[12]

The event was played at Mission Valley Country Club in 1955,[13] then went to Singing Hills Country Club in El Cajon in October 1956.[9] The tournament returned to Mission Valley C.C. in 1957,[10] where it stayed through 1963.[14] Mission Valley changed its name to Stardust Country Club in 1962 (now Riverwalk Golf Club). After one edition in 1964 at Rancho Bernardo Country Club (now Rancho Bernardo Inn) in San Diego,[15] it returned to Stardust for three years, through 1967.[16][17][18]

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. During those early editions at Torrey Pines, the course length was under 6,850 yards (6,265 m).[19][20][21] Singer-actor Andy Williams was a celebrity host from 1968 through 1988.[22][23]

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.[24]

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. The South Course has hosted the U.S. Open twice: Tiger Woods won in a playoff in 2008,[25] and Jon Rahm won in 2021.

Winners

More information Year, Winner ...

Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Sources:[6][26]

Records and trivia

  • Tournament course record:
  • 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.[27] 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.[28]
  • Tiger Woods (2005–08) won four straight years, then won his fifth consecutive Torrey Pines tournament at the 2008 U.S. Open on the South Course that June.
  • 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.[29]

Notes

  1. Shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

References

  1. "Ted Kroll's 276 wins San Diego tourney". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 21, 1952. p. 18 via Google News Archive.
  2. "Bolt suppresses temper for $2000". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. January 19, 1953. p. 21 via Google News Archive.
  3. "Littler beats pros, wins San Diego". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 25, 1954. p. 18 via Google News Archive.
  4. "John Dawson, amateur, wins Crosby golf". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. February 2, 1942 via Google News Archive.
  5. "Diegel is winner of pro tourney". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. December 19, 1927. p. 18 via Google News Archive.
  6. "Leo Diegel wins San Diego Open". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 7, 1929. p. 11 via Google News Archive.
  7. "Rosburg wins golf tourney". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. October 8, 1956. p. 2B via Google News Archive.
  8. "Palmer wins golf tourney". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. November 4, 1957. p. 28 via Google News Archive.
  9. "Marty Furgol winner in San Diego Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. February 2, 1959. p. 21 via Google News Archive.
  10. Kenney, Kirk (January 24, 2022). "Farmers Insurance Open set to debut Wednesday-Saturday schedule at Torrey Pines". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  11. "Bolt's 274 wins by two strokes". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 24, 1955. p. 18 via Google News Archive.
  12. "Player's clutch putt wins San Diego Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 14, 1963. p. 23 via Google News Archive.
  13. "Wall wins San Diego Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 13, 1964. p. 22 via Google News Archive.
  14. "Ellis beats Casper in golf playoff". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 18, 1965. p. 23 via Google News Archive.
  15. "Slim Casper carries weight in hometown". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. January 17, 1966. p. 31 via Google News Archive.
  16. "Goalby starts fast, ends long drought". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. January 16, 1967. p. 39 via Google News Archive.
  17. "Trio shares lead". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. February 11, 1968. p. 4B via Google News Archive.
  18. "Littler shoots 67, assumes golf lead". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. February 2, 1969. p. 2B via Google News Archive.
  19. "Nicklaus gains control as Jackline falls back". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. February 1, 1970. p. 3B via Google News Archive.
  20. "Weiskopf cops Williams Open". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. February 12, 1968. p. 4B via Google News Archive.
  21. "Pate makes key birdie for victory". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. February 22, 1988. p. 2B via Google News Archive.
  22. "Farmers Insurance to sponsor San Diego Tour event". PGA Tour. January 18, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  23. PGA Tour 2007 Official Guide. January 2007. pp. 1–5, 3–10, 11, 11–5.
  24. "Littler beats pros, wins San Diego". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 25, 1954. p. 18. Retrieved January 29, 2013 via Google News Archive.
  25. "Miller wins by 1 over on-rushing Nicklaus". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. February 1, 1982. p. 3C. Retrieved January 29, 2013 via Google News Archive.
  26. Myers, Bob (January 17, 1952). "Joe Louis among 132 starters in San Diego golf". The Day. New London, Connecticut. Associated Press. p. 22. Retrieved January 29, 2013 via Google News Archive.

32.903°N 117.245°W / 32.903; -117.245


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