Players dig deep as darkness falls in San Diego
At first glance, the ‘Farmers Insurance Open’ in America isn’t a tournament that really fires the imagination. Wellington boots and tractors are some of the first things that spring to mind. Indeed, the mind boggles at the thought of maybe thousands of rosy-cheeked farmers sporting heavy-duty checked shirts as they line the fairway to watch their golf heroes in action.
Yet there lies a prestigious tournament behind the simple name. Forget the title for a moment and just picture the glorious golf course of Torrey Pines South at San Diego in sunny California. Then check-out the field of class players. One name that jumps off the page at this year’s event (25-28 January) is that of Tiger Woods.
Tiger in action at Torrey Pines
Yes, after much injury, scandal and turmoil, the 42-year old winner of 14 Majors is back. Playing in his first event for some time, Tiger looks fitter than he has looked for a number of years. He is looking to turn back time and rekindle some of the exquisite golf he played in his heyday, (or perhaps we should say, his ‘hay day’) when he won the Farmers Insurance Open in 2008 and 2013. A hat-trick five years on would certainly work wonders for his confidence, and his tour-ranking. Tiger teed-off looking rather dapper in his traditional red shirt in San Diego on Sunday. It was the first time in 29 months that he had made the weekend in a PGA Tour event.
Among the big names ‘on a mission’ at Torrey Pines this week: Jason Day (Australia) looking for his 11th win on the PGA Tour; Olympic Golf Champion Justin Rose (England); a seriously on-form Alex Noren from Sweden, the winner of 9 European Tour titles is in search of his first PGA victory on American soil; and Spain’s Jon Rahm who is poised to become the new World Number One.
A tournament of no frills, just thrills
Time to fast-forward to the final day on Sunday. I don’t know what the sponsors had in mind to attract the crowds to Torrey Pines golf course during the week of the tournament. All I know is that there is an alarming number of golf tournament organisers who have caught the entertainment bug, so it seems. And not only in America. Live bands, music, DJ’s, and a whole lot of razzamatazz, both on and off the golf course, all staged to attract the masses to come and watch golf. Most of whom have absolutely no interest in the “boring walking game of golf”, as they view it. Their sole interest lies in the hospitality tents and the celebrations at the ‘19th hole’.
In this respect, the Farmers Insurance Open was a breath of fresh air. A tournament that developed into a thrilling drama with a Sunday showdown that could hardly have been better scripted in Hollywood.
Thankfully, there were no crazy gimmicks to be seen, or at least not from the comfort of my armchair in front of the television in Holland. No, I’m delighted to say that real golf fans were entertained purely by the golf – spectacular golf and good sportsmanship. A spectacle of talented players shaping marvellous shots, creating miraculous back-spin and holing rock-solid putts. Simply awesome.
It was a show of pure brilliance. No frills, just thrills. Pure genius. The crowds were ecstatic out on the lovely course at Torrey Pines perched on the coast in California, and no doubt the millions of viewers at home were sat on the edge of their sofas in front of the box too.
Golf warriors locked in battle
Jason Day from Australia looked likely to triumph in regulation play, but Sweden’s Alex Noren had other ideas. In search of his first victory on the US PGA Tour, the 35-year old from Stockholm conjured a superb back nine to get himself into the play-off along with the 36-hole leader Ryan Palmer (USA) whose birdie at the last hole on Sunday also got him to 10-under and so do battle in a three-way play-off.
After a turbulent back nine on Sunday, there were just three players left standing. Long gone are the days of an 18-hole play-off the next day to decide the winner. Sometimes there’s a three-hole play-off in the case of a tie, but more often than not it’s a nail-biting sudden-death play-off which ensues. And that is what happened in San Diego at the weekend with all the drama of a thriller.
First the trio teed-off at the par-5, 18th hole one more time. Palmer was first to bow-out after Day and Noren made birdies at the first extra hole. They were then transported back to the 18th tee to play it again. Again they both made birdies after putting for eagles. The battle continued up the par-3, 16th hole over the ravine which they halved in par. The fourth extra play-off hole was the 17th. Day, with the honour, drove into the bunker followed by Noren. As the sun began to set, the players like two warriors locked in battle, both splashed out of the sand from some 125 yards onto the green. The Australian was first to putt. His ball needed just a puff of wind to drop into the hole, but as the stillness of evening fell, it remained agonisingly above ground.
With Day’s par in the bag, Noren had to conjure something special with his long putt from the back of the green. The Swede left himself a putt of a metre or more for par. A distance which would have been producing a nervous sweat for most players under these dramatic circumstances. Yet with his usual no-nonsense-style, Noren putted the ball into the bottom of the cup.
Darkness falls on Day and Noren in play-off
It was time to return to the 18th hole where the crowds must have been growing restless. Surely the winner would emerge now before darkness fell on the 5th extra play-off hole? Otherwise, the tournament would have to be concluded on Monday. Day’s drive found the bunker after which Noren played a ‘safe’ 3-wood onto the fairway for position. His second shot with a hybrid found the green in two. Day then laid-up with his second shot to the 538-yard hole. After closing his eyes over the ball in order to visualise the shot, the Aussie struck a superb shot to within a yard or so of the pin. It was now getting very dark, and very exciting.
Jason Day (left) and Alex Noren battle against the fading light.
The Swede attacked his putt from the back of the green leaving himself with some work to do in order to secure his par in the tricky light. Day defiantly holed his putt for birdie. Surely victory would be his? No, Noren was not about to let a putt of a few feet stand between him and his first victory in America. He also holed-out for birdie. The battle was not yet over. What a tournament! A minute later play was suspended due to darkness. All the players could do now was to unwind and get some rest. Tomorrow was another day. Play would be resumed at the ungodly hour of five o’clock in the morning!
No matter the outcome of the extension of the extension of the 2018 edition of the Farmers Insurance Open, it has been a great, down to earth golf tournament – one for the record books. And one that golf fans and sponsors alike will cherish for many years to come, for all the right reasons.
Brace yourself for a real cliff-hanger with your muesli!
Wendy Hoad
MAIN PHOTOGRAPH: Alex Noren in search of his first PGA victory in America battles it out in a play-off during the Farmers Insurance Open. MINIS: (l-r) Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, Jon Rahm and Jason Day.