The PGA Tour heads to San Diego for the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, a rotation event that separates patience from impulse.
Players split rounds between the North and South courses before the weekend, then everything funnels to the South, the longer and more demanding test.
Scoring is rarely explosive here. Last year, Harris English won at eight under par, with just a handful of players finishing five under or better. That tells you what kind of week this is.
Torrey rewards players who manage misses, scramble efficiently, and stay composed on Poa annua greens. Distance helps, but recovery matters more.
The players I like for top-20s are the same profiles I trust to contend for a win. I tend to take the plus money where it makes sense, but the outright numbers are there if you want to lean into longer shots.
Best bets
Harris English: Top 20 (+130)
Full odds:
Top 10 +270
Top 5 +550
To win 32-1
English brings stability on a course that punishes volatility. Torrey Pines rewards patience, scrambling and the ability to survive long stretches where par is a good score. That's English in a nutshell. He contends by missing in the right spots, getting up and down when others can't and staying mentally steady when scoring stalls. His history here is a benefit, a course he understands, visually and strategically. His elite scrambling profile paired with his long-term Poa annua comfort, where putting can feel random, is where his comfort level raises his floor. If the putter cooperates even a little, the win equity is real.
Hideki Matsuyama: Top 20 (+130)
Full odds:
Top 10 +265
Top 5 +540
To win 30-1
Torrey Pines rewards the one thing that Matsuyama does better than almost anyone in this field: elite ball striking that travels on tougher courses. Since this isn't a birdie fest, surviving the elements of Torrey is more important than going low. Matsuyama consistently gains strokes tee-to-green here, which means he's hitting greens, avoiding big numbers and forcing himself into stress-free pars. That's the key stat that matters for non-golf bettors: Matsuyama keeps the ball out of trouble. He's not elite at putting but if he can even be average on the greens, that could be enough when his irons are dialed. On a demanding setup, Matsuyama's profile produces a high floor and that's what you want for a Top 20 wager.
Ryan Gerard: Top 20 (+160)
Full odds:
Top 10 +345
Top 5 +710
To win 43-1
Gerard is my feel play of the week. If you miss greens, can you still walk away with par? That's what I'm looking for. It's the key skill that Gerard has quietly been excellent around the green, which could matter more here than raw birdie making. His recent form backs it up: back-to-back runner-up finishes, showing confidence, with improved putting in both events. With a T15 here last year, and a couple of Top 25 finishes on comparable courses, Gerard could be comfortable surviving this course. If he can avoid blow up holes and manage misses, then he can keep stress off the scorecard.
Players to consider for Daily Fantasy
Play daily fantasy golf at DraftKings.
Wyndham Clark, $8,500: He's a playable mix of ceiling and survivability. The real fantasy hook is his weighted strokes gained putting (second) and he's also positive around the green, plus top 10 on Poa putting (7th). His Torrey results are volatile because the ball striking can wobble, but when the putter cooperates, he can rack up birdie runs and bonus points. He's a tournament play, not a wager cash play.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout, $7,300: He's a floor-first decision with sneaky upside. His scrambling ranks near the top of the field, which comes into play when greens are missed in bulk. He also putts well overall and on these green types, removing the surface risk that sinks cheaper plays. He's not a bomber, and he won't overwhelm par 5s, but Bezuidenhout avoids disasters and keeps rounds intact. In fantasy, that means four rounds, steady points and salary relief without punting equity.
DFS player to fade
Cameron Young, $10,000: This is a bad allocation of salary this week, paying for raw talent rather than a scoring path that fits Torrey. His results here (a T20 and a missed cut) are underwhelming for this price, his Poa putting is unreliable and his fantasy value relies on birdie bursts that this course actively suppresses. At this price, you need either elite course fit or elite putting, and Young brings neither. He could finish T12, but this price is asking to win tournaments. You'd be burning cap that could buy two cleaner mid-range profiles with better cut equity and comparable upside.
