Tuesday’s Fantasy Insider will include Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott, Matthew Wolff and Jordan Spieth, among other notables.
Torrey Pines South is already a beast. At 7,765 yards, it’s the longest route on the PGA TOUR, so the USGA probably won’t need to mess around with it for its US Open presentation in five months. In the 2019-20 truncated season, he came in as the toughest fourth par 72, with 0.534 strokes over par. Although it is a firm and fair test, it is still not as challenging as it was for the Farmers Insurance Open.
Contrary to Pebble Beach’s initial setting of narrower and rougher fairways two years ago, Torrey Pines can get away with saying, “Here I am. Come and get me. “Reward the distance from the tee, but in 2021, this is almost a wash, given the proliferation of muscles between the members. Pivoting to emphasize the value of hitting the fairways ignores the same in relation to the entire exam. last year, the south course ranked among the top 15 in hitting fairways, greens in regulation, proximity to the hole, placement: birdies-or-better (a scoring measure), scrambling and par 3, par 4 and par score -5 It’s still what you think it is.
Of course, Torrey Pines is no stranger to hosting a US Open. We will examine this further when the major arrives, but it cannot be forgotten now that Tiger Woods, whose victory at the 2008 United States Open here is one of eight professional victories on the field. He is away for a while after having back surgery on December 23.
Each of the 156 Farmers participants will play in Torrey Pines North once before cutting 36 holes. After alternating with the South before the cut, those between low 65 and tied at the end of two rounds will attempt to attack only the South in the third and final rounds.
In its fourth year after Tom Weiskopf’s review, the North Course averaged 70,574 last year. This is at the heart of expectations during the FedExCup era. Compared directly to the South in the two rounds during which both courses were used in 2020, the North averaged 2.97 easier strokes in the first round and 2.47 easier strokes in the second. It is also a par 72 stock, so there is pressure on each player to capitalize on his walk in it.
On the way to his victory by a shot in 15 under 273, Marc Leishman scored a 4 under 68 in the first round in the North. It was the second consecutive year (Justin Rose, 63, 2019) that the winner opened in the easier of the two. This is statistically remarkable after eight consecutive years in which the champion rode north in the second round, but none of the “trends” deserves as much attention as the weather conditions.
Moderate winds and the threat of rain increase until Friday before both factors decrease, but daytime highs may not eclipse 60 degrees. This means that the ball will not fly that far, which is already a variable along the coast. The first steps can also be delayed by the marine layer. Although possible, these elements are not likely to return in mid-June.
ShotLink is used only on the South Course, so full tournament data that includes measured hits and Stroked Gained analysis reflects only three rounds. This did not prevent the tournament from reaching a three-hole stretch on the outside of the North with a nickname. The second par 4, third par 3 and fourth par 4 are now collectively known as The Undertow.
Before Weiskopf’s work, each hole had a regular average below par, but they evolved into one of the toughest three-hole sprints on the schedule. Last year, the field averaged 0.697 strokes above par in the two rounds that the North hosted. Since 2017, champion Jon Rahm has sailed in par-bogey-par, each of the last three winners scored in pars on all three holes.
ROB BOLTON SCHEDULE
PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Insider, Rob Bolton, recapitulates and shows all tournaments from various angles. Look for the following contributions as scheduled.
MONDAY: Power Ratings
TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Fantasy Insider
DOMAIN: Qualifiers, Remodeling, Medical Extensions, Rookie Watch
* – Rob is a panel member for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which he also publishes on Tuesday.
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