PGA Power Rankings: Top 5 Golfers For Farmers Insurance Open

PGA POWER RANKINGS: TOP 5 GOLFERS FOR FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN

Players are getting set for the 2023 Farmers Insurance Open at the iconic Torrey Pines golf course in San Diego, California. For the third year in a row, the first round will tee off on Wednesday, with the fourth and final round occurring on Saturday, so make sure to place your wagers in PGA Tour betting markets ahead of Wednesday's opening tee times.

Torrey Pines is among the toughest golf courses on the PGA Tour circuit, especially Torrey Pines South course, which will be played during three of four rounds at the Farmers Insurance Open. Torrey Pines North course is notably less difficult, as players alternate between the South and North courses before making the cut and being forced to play on South for the final two rounds.

It's an excellent field loaded with talent, led by Xander Schauffele as a +900 betting favorite in the outright betting market for the 2024 Farmers Insurance Open. We've seen three consecutive longshot golfers take the winning podium to start the 2024 PGA Tour season, so don't rule out anybody who has qualified for this event. Recent winners include defending champion Max Homa and Luke List, while Keegan Bradley, Collin Morikawa, Sungjae Im, and Sahith Theegala all wound up T4 or better in 2023.

PGA handicapper Matt MacKay is back with his latest PGA power rankings for the Farmers Insurance Open, giving out a few of his favorite players to wager in the PGA Tour outright betting market ahead of Wednesday's opening round from Torrey Pines.

FARMERS INSURANCE DATE, START TIME, AND WHERE TO WATCH

• Date: January 24 - 27, 2024
• Where: Torrey Pines, San Diego, California
• Where to Watch: ESPN+, Golf Channel, CBS

FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN COURSE

Torrey Pines South and Torrey Pines North are both par 72 tracks, but the South has historically been amongst the most difficult courses for golfers to stay under par. Both courses have four inch rough punishing errant lies, with quick Bentgrass and Poa Annua green blends, measuring up to 13 feet via Stimpmeter.

Ideal weather conditions indicate that both courses could be a bit more rewarding than usual, but it's been a trend that nearly every winner at Farmers has scored at least -2-under-par or better on the easier North course. Precision from tee-to-green, along with reading the faster than customary greens, will be the recipe for success at Torrey Pines this weekend.

FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN ODDS

FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN POWER RANKINGS

Collin Morikawa (+1100) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds

We've only seen Collin Morikawa compete in one event in 2024, but he fared well, logging a T5 finish at -25-under-par during Sentry. The California native should feel right at home this week at Torrey Pines, where he wound up finishing alone in third, thanks in large part to starting off at -5-under-par. His putter can get in the way, but Morikawa ranks fourth in strokes gained approaching the green, which is a top-tier skill to possess at an event like Farmers. At +1100, oddsmakers are giving Morikawa the second-best odds to win outright, which he's more than capable of achieving, so let's stake half a unit to watch Morikawa win his seventh PGA Tour event.

Keegan Bradley (+3000) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds

Another player who came up just short a year ago, Keegan Bradley is available to wager in the outright betting market at much more lucrative odds than Morikawa. Bradley was red-hot at the Sony Open, but he fell short in a playoff to Grayson Murray. Ranked 13th in strokes gained on approach, Bradley is another player with elite ball-striking ability that can keep him in contention down the stretch at a challenging course like Torrey Pines South. +3000 is way too enticing to pass on, so let's stake a quarter unit on his outright betting odds to avenge his runner-up finish here a year ago.

Sahith Theegala (+3000) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds

One of the most talented up and comers on the PGA Tour, Sahith Theegala debuted with a T4 finish at this event in 2023. The southern California native should have plenty of comfort in these surroundings, along with fanfare support, as he gets set to tee off on Wednesday. Theegala has had two polar opposite outings thus far in 2024, logging a second-place finish at Sentry, while missing the cut at Sony. A -6-under-par start gave Theegala a huge boost here a year ago, so he'll need to replicate his outing on the North course to keep within striking distance. His game is consistently good everywhere, ranking between 40th and 54th in strokes gained metrics, so if Theegala's putter heats up, which we've seen plenty of in the past 12 months, +3000 becomes a screaming value in the outright PGA Tour betting market.

Eric Cole (+3500) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds

It feels like Eric Cole is always in the mix in the outright winner market despite having yet to clinch a PGA Tour victory. Cole plays a ton of events and has quickly ascended into a consistently good player on a variety of courses. Three events played in 2024 have resulted in Cole going T14, T13, and T21. He's hovering near the edge of contending, but he missed the cut at Farmers in 2023, so Cole needs to bring his best effort to win this event in a loaded field. Cole's putter is his best asset, ranked 20th on the PGA Tour, which will create separation from many contenders in the field. 44th in strokes gained approach isn't bad either, meaning the 35-year-old could find himself on the winning podium on Saturday evening. +3500 is worth a quarter unit investment.

Sepp Straka (+5000) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds

The final player with a lot of intrigue surrounding his outright betting odds is Sepp Straka. The Austrian didn't compete at Farmers in 2023, but he did manage a T16 finish in 2022, going -11-under-par in the middle rounds to overcome a +1 start. Straka's lone appearance on the PGA Tour in 2024 resulted in a T12 finish at Sentry, which was a birdie fest, much different than the rigors of Torrey Pines South. Despite these differences, Straka has proven to be talented in this event, scoring low on South in his last appearance. Ranked 11th strokes gained on approach, while also equipped with a putter ranked 51st in strokes gained, makes Straka a fun investment to wager a tenth of a unit on at +5000 odds.

Golf Odds

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