Tiger Woods is not the world’s most dominant golfer anymore but he still brings more excitement to a tournament than anyone else on the planet. Once again, Tiger will try to tame Torrey Pines.
On Monday, Woods and The Century Club of San Diego officially announced Tiger will make his 2018 PGA Tour debut at the Farmers Insurance Open, a tournament he’s won a record seven times (1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013). Torrey Pines is the course where Woods won his last Major championship, beating Rocco Mediate in a 19-hole playoff at the 2008 U.S. Open.
The last tournament he played on Tour was the 2017 Farmers Insurance Open, when he missed the cut by four shots. A week later Woods withdrew from the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, a European Tour event, citing back spasms. Two months later he had a fourth surgery on his back.
Woods played the Hero World Challenge, a non-official event, in December and seemed to be secure with his health. “Overall I’m very pleased,” Woods said. “I hit some really good shots out there and (think there’s) a bright future.”
The galleries when Woods enters a tournament grow substantially because people want to see the man who was arguably the greatest player of all time before injuries and off-course problems derailed him … either to witness how far he’s fallen or be present for his triumphant return to greatness.
How good has Woods been on this coastal San Diego track? His career winnings at the Farmers Insurance Open alone are $6.8 million … about $1.1 million more than Jack Nicklaus made in his entire PGA Tour career.
Joining Woods in the field will be several golfers with San Diego ties including Rancho Santa Fe’s Phil Mickelson, Poways’ Charley Hoffman, and San Diego State alums J.J. Spaun and Xander Schauffele, the 2017 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.
The Farmers Insurance Open starts on January 25 on the Torrey Pines North and South courses. Tickets for the event can be purchased online at www.FarmersInsuranceOpen.com.
