Pro Golf Now
Fansided

2021 US Open: Top 10 power rankings at Torrey Pines

By Mike Randleman

Jan 30, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; A detailed view of the south course map adjacent to the first tee during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 30, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; A detailed view of the south course map adjacent to the first tee during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 11
Next

Golf’s toughest test is upon us. The U.S. Open arrives to Torrey Pines, the famed municipal golf complex that’s annually hosted the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open since 1968.

The North and South courses are utilized for the Farmers. The South will be the only one in play this week, like it was when the USGA last came to town.

That was in 2008 when Tiger Woods battled on one knee to defeat Rocco Mediate in a Monday sudden-death playoff after 18 holes wasn’t enough.

The South will play up to 7,802 yards for a par 71. It’s a William F. Bell design that opened in 1957. It’s in La Jolla, California, on the cliffs of the Pacific Ocean. Breathtaking views and a championship test of golf make this one of, if not the, premier public golf facilities in the country.

There are architectural bones to pick with the course layout, but it’s still a worthy test for the world’s best.

The tee boxes and fairways are composed of kikuyu grass overseeded with rye. Greens are bentgrass with poa annua. Just because it’s near the water doesn’t make it a links course.

Kikuyu is prevalent at Riviera Country Club (Genesis Invitational) and in Australia, for example.

Thick, juicy rough and some treeline along the fairways make Torrey Pines more of a parkland style test of golf.

The weather forecast looks gorgeous for the week with little to no rain forecasted and temperatures in the 60s-70s.

It was expected the South will play firmer and faster than in January anyway, but dry conditions will also help. A firmer course will help the short hitters gain distance, but it’s still a bomber’s paradise.

Driver is the club on most par-4s and par-5s, even with strategically placed fairway bunkers to navigate. If everyone’s going to be chopping it out of the thick stuff, you might as well be 30-40 yards ahead with a short club in your hand and a chance to reach the green in regulation.

The South was redesigned in 2001 and again in 2019 by Rees Jones. The latest tweaked several holes, as well as improved the irrigation system.

All players in the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings are in the 156-player field. Woods (injury) and Mikko Korhonen (travel concerns) are eligible players not competing. Rickie Fowler, who nearly made it via sectional qualifying, is a notable absence.

Farmers Insurance Open typically falls in late January/early February while the European Tour is in full swing in the Middle East. This means that several international players are making their Torrey Pines debuts.

Less than a month after Phil Mickelson thrilled us at the PGA Championship, it’s time to crown another major champion.

Here are 10 players who have a great chance to stamp their name in history:

Home/Golf News