Farmers Insurance Open
Torrey Pines (North & South Courses), CA
Thursday Jan 28th - Sunday Jan 31st, 2016
by David Barwise
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| Photo: sportsunbiased.com |
Jason Day’s back in his first title defence of the year to
prove last year wasn’t a fluke.
Like the CareerBuilder Challenge last week, there is a
rotation between courses, with the players alternating between North and South
for the first two days before heading to the notorious South Course for the
weekend.
The winner every week on the tour is the man who tames his
putter. But this time around, anyone who hits the 300+ yard ball has life
significantly easier. The South Course is famed for its length and, as 3 out of
4 rounds will be played there, it’s a big name with a big game that I expect to
do well this week.
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| Photo: wwos.ninemsn.com.au |
Jason Day, the defending champion, has returned to
kick-start his 2016 off with a win. After a shaky (though not terrible)
performance at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, this week has come highly
anticipated as we look to see the World Number 2 swinging rust-free. However,
after dropping out of the Farmers Insurance pro-am through illness, we may have
to wait a little longer.
What’s more, as the season has been progressing so has the
field-strength. Day will have to fend off in-form Brandt Snedeker, last week’s
winner on the European Tour Rickie Fowler, bomber Dustin Johnson, and Phil
Mickelson who, despite still perfecting swing changes, had the class and form
to be dangerous last week.Undeniably, though, this week’s intrigue will be around Jason Day and whether he can come out all guns blazing to take this season by the scruff of its neck. We all know that he’s a fighter – a season plagued with vertigo (two of his four majors were affected) has shown us that. But after a lengthy off-season, the birth of his second child and his first major victory, it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s an unconscious part of him that wouldn’t mind dropping back a little bit season.
That could be the theme of Jason’s week (and season). He
must battle his greatest challenge yet – complacency. Oh, and Rickie Fowler.
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