Farmers Insurance Open 2015: Tee Times, Dates, TV Schedule and Prize Money
It's only February, and a good chunk of the nation's golf courses may still be buried under snow, but that shouldn't stop you from taking in what should be a compelling 2015 Farmers Insurance Open.
Not only does this year's field boast the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler, but the tournament also takes place at the famed Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California—an oceanside track that can be as treacherous as it is breathtaking.
According to Ben Everill of Reuters, international players haven't fared well in this prestigious tournament, having won just twice since its inception in 1952. Rose spoke to Everill about his plans to spoil that trend:
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
"I'm excited about the events I have coming up and I feel my game's in a really good spot to sort of make a good run heading into Augusta. There are perils to focusing too hard on one future event and Augusta can loom very large in your head for a long time. It's very important to treat each event individually and to get the most out of each event you play without chalking it up to preparation. I'm taking every event very, very seriously.
"
As Rose mentioned, many of this tournament's participants will be heading to Augusta to take part in the Masters, the year's first major, in April. Getting the year off to a good start will build essential momentum.
2015 Farmers Insurance Open
Dates: Thursday, Feb. 5 - Sunday, Feb. 8
Where: Torrey Pines in San Diego, California
Purse: $6.3 million (winning share: $1.134 million)
FedEx Cup Points: 500 to winner
TV Info:
- Thursday and Friday: 3-7 p.m. ET, Golf Channel
- Saturday and Sunday: 3-6 p.m. ET, CBS
Notable Thursday Tee Times
| South Course | |
| Justin Rose | 1:30 p.m. |
| Jason Day | 1:30 p.m. |
| Dustin Johnson | 1:30 p.m. |
| Jimmie Walker | 1:40 p.m. |
| Phil Mickelson | 1:40 p.m. |
| North Course | |
| Tiger Woods | 12:20 p.m. |
| Rickie Fowler | 12:20 p.m. |
| Jordan Spieth | 12:30 p.m. |
| Keegan Bradley | 1:40 p.m. |
| Ian Poulter | 1:40 p.m. |
Full tee times can be viewed at PGATour.com.
Stars to Watch
One of the biggest storylines entering the Farmers Insurance Open is the return of Dustin Johnson. He took a six-month leave of absence from the PGA Tour, citing "personal challenges." Now the father of a new baby boy, Johnson has a whole new outlook on life. Here's what he had to say to Steve DiMeglio of USA Today:
"It feels good to be back, but the most important thing is it feels great to be a dad. Tatum is awesome. It's just so cool to be a dad.
It's one of the things you can't really describe it. When he was born there was this overwhelming feeling of emotion. I remember driving home from the hospital, and we were in the right lane going about 50 mph and I was yelling at people wondering why they were going so fast.
The way you think, the way you look at things is totally different. You have a totally different outlook on life, but in a great way.
"
We'll see how the changes in his personal life and his time spent away from golf have affected his game. He won't have it easy right off the bat, as he'll be the lone American in his threesome with Rose and Jason Day—two international players looking to make their marks on the tournament.
Mickelson is a San Diego native and will always be the hometown favorite when he plays at Torrey Pines. Lefty hasn't been playing his best golf of late, and he's making changes to his game as a result. According to Tim Rosaforte of Golf Digest, Mickelson is abandoning the claw putting grip in favor of a conventional style.
Lefty has been inconsistent with the flat stick recently, ranking 146th on the tour from inside 10 feet and 120th from inside five feet. Those aren't ideal numbers for a player whose claim to fame is his short game.
Finally, when Woods enters a tournament these days, he makes immediate headlines. However, his chances of winning at Torrey Pines appear rather slim, according to this tweet from ESPN's RJ Bell:
Why are Woods' odds so terrible? Well, the yips are a big factor there. If you've ever played golf, you probably have a good idea of what the yips entail. They basically come from nowhere—generally due to a lapse in technique—and can cause a golfer to lose his or her mind over time.
Here's what golf instructor Hank Haney had to say about Woods' issues during an interview with Adam Schupak of Fox Sports: "When you have the yips, you have issues. This isn't going away. This isn't just a turn of the switch."
Those aren't encouraging words for a golfer who continues to struggle with his form. But it does add another element of excitement in what promises to be an eventful Farmers Insurance Open.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
