- Farmers Insurance Open
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Farmers Insurance Open Tournament information Location La Jolla, California Established 1952 (1927) Course(s) Torrey Pines Golf Course Par 72 (both courses) Length 7,569 yards (South)
6,874 yards (North)Tour(s) PGA Tour Format Stroke play Prize fund $5,800,000 Month played January Tournament record score Aggregate 266 George Burns (1987)
266 Tiger Woods (1999)To par -22 George Burns (1987)
-22 Tiger Woods (1999)Current champion Bubba Watson The Farmers Insurance Open is a PGA Tour professional golf tournament played in the San Diego, California area in the early part of the Tour season, known as the "West Coast Swing." The tournament was noted for having singer-actor Andy Williams as a celebrity host from 1968 to 1988. The tournament originated as the San Diego Open and used that name in its title through 1985. Shearson Lehman Brothers were title sponsors from 1985 to 1992. Buick was the main tournament sponsor from 1992 to 2009. Farmers Insurance Group is the main sponsor as of 2010.[1] It is organized by the The Century Club of San Diego.
Contents
Course history
From 1952–53, the tournament was played at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista, California before spending 1954 at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California. In 1955 the event moved to Mission Valley Country Club in San Diego, California, and after the 1956 event was played at Singing Hills Country Club in El Cajon, California, the event returned to Mission Valley CC until 1961. In 1962, Mission Valley CC changed its name to Stardust Country Club (and now is known as Riverwalk Golf Club) and the event stayed there from 1962–63; after spending 1964 at Rancho Bernardo Country Club (now Rancho Bernardo Inn) in San Diego, California, it returned to Stardust CC until 1967.
In 1968, the event began its relationship with Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California, where it has been played ever since. In the current tournament set-up, players will split the first 36 holes between the North and South Courses, then play the final 36 holes on the South Course. In 2008, Torrey Pines-South hosted the U.S. Open.[2]
Winners
Year Player Country Score To par 1st Prize ($) Purse ($) Farmers Insurance Open 2011 Bubba Watson 
United States272 -16 1,044,000 5,800,000 2010 Ben Crane United States275 -13 954,000 5,300,000 Buick Invitational 2009 Nick Watney United States277 -11 954,000 5,300,000 2008 Tiger Woods United States269 -19 936,000 5,200,000 2007 Tiger Woods United States273 -15 936,000 5,200,000 2006 Tiger Woods United States278 -10 918,000 5,100,000 2005 Tiger Woods United States272 -16 864,000 4,800,000 2004 John Daly United States278 -10 864,000 4,800,000 2003 Tiger Woods United States272 -16 810,000 4,500,000 2002 José María Olazábal 
Spain275 -13 648,000 3,600,000 2001 Phil Mickelson United States269 -19 630,000 3,500,000 2000 Phil Mickelson United States270 -18 540,000 3,000,000 1999 Tiger Woods United States266 -22 486,000 2,700,000 1998 Scott Simpson United States204* -12 378,000 2,100,000 1997 Mark O'Meara United States275 -13 270,000 1,500,000 1996 Davis Love United States269 -19 216,000 1,200,000 Buick Invitational of California 1995 Peter Jacobsen United States269 -19 216,000 1,200,000 1994 Craig Stadler United States268 -20 198,000 1,100,000 1993 Phil Mickelson United States278 -10 180,000 1,000,000 1992 Steve Pate United States200* -16 180,000 1,000,000 Shearson Lehman Brothers Open 1991 Jay Don Blake United States268 -20 180,000 1,000,000 Shearson Lehman Hutton Open 1990 Dan Forsman United States275 -13 162,000 900,000 1989 Greg Twiggs United States271 -17 126,000 700,000 Shearson Lehman Hutton Andy Williams Open 1988 Steve Pate United States269 -19 117,000 650,000 Shearson Lehman Brothers Andy Williams Open 1987 George Burns United States266 -22 90,000 500,000 1986 Bob Tway United States204* -12 81,000 450,000 Isuzu-Andy Williams San Diego Open 1985 Woody Blackburn United States269 -19 72,000 400,000 1984 Gary Koch United States272 -16 72,000 400,000 1983 Gary Hallberg United States271 -17 54,000 300,000 Wickes-Andy Williams San Diego Open 1982 Johnny Miller United States270 -18 54,000 300,000 1981 Bruce Lietzke United States278 -10 45,000 250,000 Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational 1980 Tom Watson United States275 -13 45,000 250,000 1979 Fuzzy Zoeller United States282 -6 45,000 250,000 1978 Jay Haas United States278 -10 40,000 200,000 1977 Tom Watson United States269 -19 36,000 180,000 1976 J. C. Snead United States272 -16 36,000 180,000 1975 J. C. Snead United States279 -9 34,000 170,000 1974 Bobby Nichols United States275 -13 34,000 170,000 1973 Bob Dickson United States278 -10 34,000 170,000 1972 Paul Harney United States275 -13 30,000 150,000 1971 George Archer United States272 -16 30,000 150,000 1970 Pete Brown United States275 -13 30,000 150,000 1969 Jack Nicklaus United States284 -4 30,000 150,000 1968 Tom Weiskopf United States273 -15 30,000 150,000 San Diego Open Invitational 1967 Bob Goalby United States269 -15 13,200 71,000 1966 Billy Casper United States268 -16 5,800 45,000 1965 Wes Ellis United States267 -17 4,850 39,000 1964 Art Wall, Jr. United States274 -6 4,300 30,000 1963 Gary Player 
South Africa270 -14 3,500 25,000 1962 Tommy Jacobs United States277 -7 3,500 25,000 1961 Arnold Palmer United States271 -13 2,800 22,500 1960 Mike Souchak United States269 -19 2,800 22,500 1959 Marty Furgol 
United States274 -14 2,800 20,000 1958 No tournament - moved from November to January 1957 Arnold Palmer 
United States271 -17 2,400 15,000 Convair-San Diego Open 1956 Bob Rosburg United States270 -18 2,400 15,000 1955 Tommy Bolt United States274 -14 2,400 15,000 San Diego Open 1954 Gene Littler (a) United States274 -14 2,400 15,000 1953 Tommy Bolt United States274 -14 2,000 10,000 1952 Ted Kroll United States276 -12 2,000 10,000 1930-51 No tournament 1929 Leo Diegel United States282 -2 750 2,500 1928 No tournament 1927 Leo Diegel United States214^ 1,000 2,500 - (a) - amateur
- * rain-shortened to 54 holes
- ^ scheduled 54 holes
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Sources[3][4][5]Multiple winners
Seven players have won this tournament more than once through 2011.
- 6 wins
- Tiger Woods: 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
- 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
- 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 six-time winner of the tournament, and Phil Mickelson the only other golfer to win more than twice.
- Hall of Famer Gene Littler is the only golfer to have won the tournament as an amateur, doing so in 1954. Littler, a San Diego native, never won as a professional - although he was runner-up three times (1969, 1974, 1978).
- One of the most memorable years in the tournament's history was 1982, when Johnny Miller outdueled Jack Nicklaus to win by one stroke.
- Tiger Woods (2005-08) won the tournament four straight years. J. C. Snead (1975-76) and Phil Mickelson (2000-01) won in back-to-back years.
- In 1952, boxer Joe Louis was invited to play in the San Diego Open on a sponsor's exemption, and became the first African American ever to play in this PGA Tour event.
References
- ^ Farmers Insurance to sponsor San Diego Tour event
- ^ PGA Tour 2007 Official Guide - January 2007, pages 1-5, 3-10 thru 3-11, 11-5.
- ^ 2009 Buick Invitational Media Guide - Tournament History - at www.buickinvitational.com
- ^ Buick Invitational - Winners - at www.pgatour.com
- ^ Buick Invitational - Winners - at golfobserver.com
External links
- Official website
- Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site
- Farmers Insurance Open results since 1970 - Winners, Finishers, Scores and Earnings
Categories:- PGA Tour events
- Golf in California
- Sports in San Diego, California
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