There's no doubt about it -- this week's field at Torrey Pines is loaded.
Situated on the weekend between the NFL conference championship games and the Super Bowl, the Farmers Insurance Open has long occupied a prime spot on the PGA Tour calendar. It's also the tournament where Tiger Woods usually makes his yearly Tour debut, and that's once again true.
San Diego's weather and status as a destination city have also always helped the Farmers Insurance Open draw a strong field.
Still, that doesn't entirely explain an entry sheet filled with 16 different major winners and eight of the world's top-15 ranked players.
In 17 months, Torrey Pines will host the U.S. Open for a second time, making this week's tournament a priceless opportunity to play competitive rounds on a major venue that underwent some big changes since last year.
Even veterans of the Farmers Insurance Open will be eager to get a look at the new tees and bunkers, as well as fairways moved closer to Torrey's infamous canyons. The 17th on the South Course transformed from a ho-hum par 4 into a spectacular set-up to the famous par-5 18th.
That's why big names other than locals Phil Mickelson and Xander Schauffele are testing their games at Torrey this week. Francesco Molinari, defending champion Justin Rose, and world #2 Rory McIlroy are all in town, along with other top-50 international players including Mark Leishman, Hideki Matsuyama, Sungjae Im, and Byeong Hun An. Not all household names in San Diego...but really, really good golfers.
Even with the terrific field, all eyes will still be on Tiger Woods, who most recently led the United States to a come-from-behind win over the International team as playing captain in the Presidents Cup. Before that, Tiger won the Zozo Championship in Japan, tying Sam Snead's all-time record with his 82nd career PGA Tour win. The Farmers Insurance Open will be Tiger's first chance to break the record, and it's in a tournament he's won seven times (not including his U.S. Open win in 2008 and various Junior World championships). If he's in contention on Sunday, expect TV ratings to skyrocket.
With all that being said, more than 75% of people who attend the Farmers Insurance Open don't consider themselves to be die hard golf fans. If that sounds like you, there will be plenty of great weather, spectacular views, and flowing cocktails to make it a more-than-enjoyable week.
Make sure to listen to 97.3 The Fan all week for live coverage from Torrey Pines, including interviews and insight on the first can't miss stop on the West Coast Swing. Oh, and mobile phones are permitted on the course, so download the Radio.com app and pop in your ear buds to listen as you walk around the course following the best golfers in the world. See you at Torrey!