Jon Rahm hit the headlines for the wrong reasons in The American Express last week – getting caught on camera launching a foul-mouthed tirade about the course set-up in the La Quinta event.
The Spaniard spent the week pulling his hair out on the greens. The world number one could not get anything to drop – as poor putting saw him bubbling over with frustration.
Happy Memories of Torrey Pines
It remains to be seen whether a return to Torrey Pines, California, will cheer him up. Rahm is 6/1 favourite for the Farmers Insurance Open, which starts at 5pm (UK and Ireland time) on Wednesday – a day earlier than usual to leave the Stateside sporting stage clear for Sunday’s NFL action.
Rahm has started this year in volatile mood – disappointed to finish runner-up in the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii before criticising the courses last week – but there is no better venue to raise his morale than Torrey Pines.
An eagle at the 18th hole put the icing on the cake of his maiden PGA Tour title in the 2017 Farmers Insurance Open, then last summer he finished the US Open at Torrey in spectacular fashion to become a Major champion for the first time.
Matsuyama Seeking Back-To-Back Success
Hideki Matsuyama won the Sony Open in fine style last time out, carding back-to-back rounds of 63 over the weekend before conjuring an incredible eagle at the 18th hole to win a playoff against Russell Henley.
Matsuyama putted superbly in the Sony Open and if the Japanese star has found a solution to his flat-stick problems, the Sony success will probably be followed by much more prestigious silverware this year.
Matsuyama heads to Augusta for his Masters title defence in April, but the Farmers is on his radar this week, and he has shown in the past that he can handle Torrey Pines.
He can be backed at 18/1 for Farmers glory. He has won two of his last three tournaments, having emphatically triumphed in the Zozo Championship in his homeland at the end of October.
Matsuyama tied for third spot in the 2019 Farmers and has to be respected this week.
Finau Ready to Threaten PGA Tour Hat-Trick
Tony Finau adores the Farmers Insurance Open and can be expected to make an impact at Torrey Pines again this year.
Finau can boast Farmers form figures of 24-18-4-6-13-6-2, sharing second place behind Patrick Reed 12 months ago.
Finau is playing his third tournament of this year and should be sharp enough to hit the ground running at Torrey Pines.
He closed with a 65 in the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, and enjoyed another strong weekend in The American Express last week, so the 25/1 against his name for the Farmers seems well worth a dabble.
Finau became a two-time PGA Tour champion by winning The Northern Trust in August and his confidence levels have never been higher. His lone Korn Ferry victory also came in California.
*All odds correct at time of writing.