The stunning Pacific Ocean backdrop is one thing that makes Torrey Pines special.
Jan. 26, 2010
The TOUR heads to the sunny La Jolla beaches this week for the Farmers Insurance Open this week. Learn more about the two courses.
| Expert's Overview |
| Alex Fisher, PGA Head Instructor for the TOUR Academy at TPC Las Vegas, analyzes the two courses this week: |
Hometown hero Phil Mickelson headlines the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif, at a course he has literally played hundreds of times since his childhood days in San Diego and has won on three times as a professional. This week the players will match wits with both the North and South courses.
The South course, which was redesigned in 1999 by Rees Jones and hosted the 2008 U.S. Open, is considered the tougher of the two courses. Jones nearly doubled the number of bunkers, completely rebuilt the greens and lengthened the course to 7,600 yards. The players will rotate playing both courses over the first two days, while those making the 36-hole cut finish on the South Course over the weekend.
In recent years, Tiger Woods has dominated this event. He won back-to-back events in 2007 and 2008 and has won this event seven times. But with Tiger not in the field this week, Mickelson will be the favorite for his fourth win on this public paradise. It should be the perfect venue to jump-start his 2010 campaign.
To learn more about the TOUR Academy, please click here. |
|
|
| This week's Kodak Challenge hole |
HOLE: The par-4, 435-yard 14th at Torrey Pines - South
LAST YEAR: The 14th played to a stroke average of 4.203, with players recording no eagles, 23 birdies, 212 pars, 67 bogeys, 8 double bogeys, 1 other
DESCRIPTION: You will want to favor the right side of the fairway with a long tee shot to have the best approach to the green. You should place your second shot in the middle of the green, avoiding left and long as that is an automatic penalty. What you see is what you get when putting. (Click here for Torrey Pines tour) |
|
TORREY PINES - SOUTH COURSE
| Fast facts |
| Course Superintendent |
Jon Maddern |
| Original architect |
William P. Bell, 1957 |
| Redesign |
Rees Jones, 2001 |
| Par value |
72 |
| Number of TOUR events as host venue |
43 (including 2010) |
| Course ranking |
Ranked 5 (out of 51) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2009 |
| Yardage history |
7,021 yards (1968-1993) |
| |
7,000 (1994-1995, 1998-1999) |
| |
7,055 (2000-2001) |
| |
7,568 (2002-present) |
| Grass |
Bermudagrass; perennial ryegrass (tees); Kikuyugrass (fairways); Poa annua (greens); Perennial ryegrass; kikuyugrass (rough) |
| Tournament Stimpmeter |
12 ft |
| Sand bunkers |
78 |
| Water hazards |
1 |
| Course tour |
Click here |
|
| Course record |
|
Player
Tiger Woods |
Year
1999 |
Round
3rd |
Finish
1 |
|
| Holes-in-one |
| There have been 12 aces recorded during on the South Course at Torrey Pines |
| Parker McLachlin |
3 |
2007 |
| Peter Lonard |
3 |
2005 |
| Jay Williamson |
3 |
2002 |
| Kelly Gibson |
8 |
1997 |
| Russell Beiersdorf |
3 |
1994 |
| Peter Persons |
8 |
1990 |
| Jodie Mudd |
11 |
1990 |
| John Mahaffey |
3 |
1989 |
| Mike Sullivan |
8 |
1987 |
| Ronnie Black |
8 |
1985 |
| Loren Roberts |
16 |
1984 |
| Pat McGowan |
3 |
1984 |
|
| 2009 Rankings |
| Most Difficult Hole |
 |
The par-4 462-yard 7th A precise tee shot that avoids the single fairway bunker left and the canyon along the right will set up an approach to an uphill green that is deceptively narrow, especially in the back.
2009: 0 eagles, 13 birdies, 171 pars, 118 bogeys, 7 double bogeys, 2 others. |
| Easiest hole |
 |
The par-5 560-yard 6th Players can attack this converted par 4 by carrying the canyon on the right with a high draw. Otherwise, the prudent tee shot is down the left, avoiding five fairway bunkers. The difficulty on the second shot will be getting a long approach to land softly on a green.
2009: 8 eagles, 152 birdies, 131 pars, 19 bogeys, 1 double bogeys and 0 others. |
|
|
| Torrey Pines - South Course |
2009 rankings | Last 25 years |
| 1 |
4 |
450 |
4.302 |
3 |
4.220 |
4 |
| 2 |
4 |
389 |
4.051 |
14 |
3.956 |
14 |
| 3 |
3 |
200 |
3.215 |
8 |
3.102 |
10 |
| 4 |
4 |
488 |
4.254 |
4 |
4.261 |
3 |
| 5 |
4 |
454 |
4.145 |
11 |
4.111 |
8 |
| 6 |
5 |
560 |
4.527 |
18 |
4.644 |
18 |
| 7 |
4 |
462 |
4.402 |
1 |
4.294 |
2 |
| 8 |
3 |
176 |
3.186 |
10 |
2.978 |
13 |
| 9 |
5 |
614 |
4.977 |
15 |
4.796 |
15 |
| 10 |
4 |
416 |
4.106 |
13 |
4.021 |
12 |
| 11 |
3 |
221 |
3.244 |
5 |
3.183 |
5 |
| 12 |
4 |
504 |
4.305 |
2 |
4.306 |
1 |
| 13 |
5 |
540 |
4.701 |
17 |
4.732 |
16 |
| 14 |
4 |
437 |
4.203 |
9 |
4.107 |
9 |
| 15 |
4 |
478 |
4.238 |
6 |
4.179 |
7 |
| 16 |
3 |
227 |
3.225 |
7 |
3.183 |
6 |
| 17 |
4 |
442 |
4.125 |
12 |
4.073 |
11 |
| 18 |
5 |
570 |
4.801 |
16 |
4.691 |
17 |
|
TORREY PINES - NORTH COURSE
| Fast facts |
| Course Superintendent |
Wayne Carpenter |
| Original architect |
William P. Bell, 1957 |
| Course redesign: |
Harry & David Rainville, 1975 |
| Par value |
72 |
| Number of TOUR events as host venue |
43 (including 2010) |
| Course ranking |
Ranked 28 (out of 51) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2009 |
| Yardage history |
6,874 yards |
| Grass |
Bentgrass, bermudagrass, perennial ryegrass, Kikuyugrass, Poa annua (tees); Bermudagrass, perennial ryegrass, Kikuyugrass (fairways); bentgrass/Poa annua (greens); Perennial |
| ryegrass, Kikuyugrass (rough) |
| Tournament Stimpmeter |
10.5 ft |
| Sand bunkers |
60 |
| Water hazards |
2 |
| Course tour |
Click here |
|
| Course record |
|
Player
Mark Brooks
Brandt Snedeker |
Year
1990
2007 |
Round
2nd
1st |
Finish
T19
3 |
|
| Holes in one |
| There have been four aces recorded on the North Course at Torrey Pines |
| Darren Clarke |
3 |
2003 |
| Dick Mast |
3 |
1998 |
| Larry Rinker |
3 |
1992 |
| Gary Koch |
12 |
1988 |
|
| 2009 Rankings |
| Most Difficult Hole |
 |
The par-3 172-yard 17th Just like No. 6, this hole is a "wind" hole. Plays shorter because of the change in elevation, but sometimes longer due to the wind. The best bet here is to have enough club to put the ball anywhere on the huge green. Don't hook it short or you'll join the ducks in the pond. The green is no mystery. Slow into the slope going uphill, with break towards the ocean (right) mostly everywhere.
2009: 0 eagles, 13 birdies, 95 pars, 39 bogeys, 6 double bogeys, 0 others. |
| Easiest hole |
 |
The par-5 520-yard 18th A nice finishing hole because you can score anything between a 3 and a 6 here. The right side has a small, yet pesky, fairway bunker, and several small Torrey pine trees. Nothing serious, but you'll be risking your chance to get home in two. If you are going for it, the best shot is a long iron, or 3-wood, cut into the wind. The green slopes just like No. 9 and No. 14. Don't be long and don't miss it on the left side. Best misses: short and short right.
2009: 1 eagles, 55 birdies, 84 pars, 11 bogeys, 1 double bogeys and 1 others. |
|
|
| Torrey Pines - North Course |
2009 rankings | Last 25 years |
| 1 |
5 |
520 |
4.791 |
14 |
4.645 |
15 |
| 2 |
4 |
326 |
3.771 |
15 |
3.795 |
14 |
| 3 |
3 |
162 |
2.869 |
12 |
2.892 |
11 |
| 4 |
4 |
429 |
3.987 |
11 |
4.006 |
9 |
| 5 |
4 |
412 |
4.222 |
2 |
4.010 |
8 |
| 6 |
3 |
206 |
3.163 |
5 |
3.182 |
1 |
| 7 |
4 |
400 |
4.157 |
6 |
4.096 |
3 |
| 8 |
4 |
436 |
3.993 |
10 |
4.014 |
7 |
| 9 |
5 |
548 |
4.758 |
17 |
4.558 |
17 |
| 10 |
4 |
416 |
4.007 |
8 |
3.986 |
10 |
| 11 |
4 |
467 |
4.209 |
3 |
4.171 |
2 |
| 12 |
3 |
190 |
3.176 |
4 |
3.052 |
5 |
| 13 |
4 |
469 |
4.111 |
7 |
4.071 |
4 |
| 14 |
5 |
507 |
4.771 |
15 |
4.575 |
16 |
| 15 |
4 |
397 |
3.837 |
13 |
3.885 |
12 |
| 16 |
4 |
338 |
4 |
9 |
3.854 |
13 |
| 17 |
3 |
172 |
3.248 |
1 |
3.034 |
6 |
| 18 |
5 |
520 |
4.732 |
18 |
4.487 |
18 |
|
| Course origins |
| Torrey Pines switched from bentgrass to Poa annua on the greens, Kikuyugrass fairways and a Kikuyugrass/ryegrass/Poa annua blend in the rough over the past four years. The par-5 sixth was converted to a par 4 by the USGA, and the U.S. Open was played as a par 71 on the South Course. Some fairways have been modified; a graduated rough is in place, and different teeing grounds can be used with the option of stretching the course to 7,643 yards. |
| In 2007, Course Superintendent Mark Woodward had new cart paths installed on the South Course, restricted power golf cars to those paths only and moved the last tee time up to 1 p.m. each day to reduce traffic on the turf from the 64,000 rounds played annually. The fourth hole, which runs alongside the cliffs overlooking the Pacific, was moved closer to the cliffs to bring the challenging crosswinds off the ocean more into play and the torrey pine trees, guarding the cliffs there, were transplanted to the other side of the fairway. Six of the tees were leveled and enlarged for the championship and the landing area on No. 18 was leveled as well. All the bunkers on the South Course were reshaped and restored, as 2,500 tons of sand were added. Five new bunkers have been added in the last year, and the 615-yard, par-5 13th has a new championship tee that carries 250 yards over a canyon. |
| Torrey Pines, located in La Jolla, Calif., is one of the nation's premier municipal golf facilities. It is bounded by mountains to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Fog, rain and wind often sweep the seaside courses that were designed by William Bell Sr. in 1957. Prior to becoming golf courses, the land was Camp Callan, a naval training area. The torrey pine tree is indigenous to this area and to Santa Rosa Island. The tree is distinguished by having clusters of five needles. |
|
| Tournament course history |
| Torrey Pines GC |
La Jolla, Calif. |
1968-present |
| Stardust CC |
San Diego, Calif. |
1962-1963, 1965-1967 |
| Rancho Bernardo CC |
San Diego, Calif. |
1964 |
| Mission Valley CC |
San Diego, Calif. |
1955, 1957-1961 |
| Singing Hills GC |
El Cajon, Calif. |
1956 |
| Rancho Santa Fe GC |
Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. |
1954 |
| San Diego CC |
San Diego, Calif. |
1952-1953 |
|
PGATOUR.com is part of Turner - SI Digital, part of the Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network 