Farmers Insurance Open: The top ten performances at Torrey Pines

By Bill Felber | Jan 28, 2019

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 27: Justin Rose of England walks from the tee box on the South Course during the final round of the the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course on January 27, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images) /

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Jason Day of Australia plays his shot from the 16th tee on the South Course during the final round of the the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images) /

The defending champion at the Farmers Insurance Open, Jason Day is coming off a rebound 2018 season. He also won the Wells Fargo and finished 11th in stroke average at 69.603, a half stroke upgrade from 2017.

When he’s right, Day is a putting genius. He led the Tour in strokes gained putting in 2018 at .849 per round. At Torrey Pines, he exceeded even that lofty mark, picking up more than one and three-quarters strokes per round on the field. That’s maximizing your asset.

Beyond that, Day helped him in what has been a weak spot, driving. He picked up better than one and one-quarter strokes per round on the field with his play off the tee, a full stroke per round upgrade from his usual performance.

Give a player of Day’s caliber two head starts of those magnitudes and he’d normally win. Unfortunately for Day, the rest of his game failed to measure up. Both approaching the green and around it, he gave back to the field more than a quarter stroke per round. His approach game especially has been an area of concern; in 2018 Day’s iron play cost him about fifteen-hundredths of a stroke per round.

Because he’s such a reliable putter, Day normally needs to upgrade in only one other area to contend. That’s what he did at the Farmer’s. To win, however, he needs to buttress that with at least average performances in the game’s other aspects. That did not happen.

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