The Farmers Insurance Open is the next stop on the PGA Tour calendar, as some of the best players in the world head to Torrey Pines.
This is a look at the best first-round leader bets to make for the event on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Farmers Insurance Open: First Round Leader Picks
The Farmers Insurance Open is being played at Torrey Pines. Every golfer will play Torrey Pines’ North Course and Torrey Pines’ South Course one time each during the first two rounds. There will be a standard cut after Friday, and then the final two rounds will be played on the South Course. The field is highlighted by the PGA Tour return of Brooks Koepka. The defending champion, Harris English, is also in the field.
This week’s first-round leader board is a bit lopsided because of the difference in difficulty between the North Course and the South Course. Players like Xander Schauffele and Ludvig Aberg are way down the odds board, despite being among the best players in the field. That is because they are playing on the South Course on Thursday, the significantly harder track. Scoring will be much easier on the North Course, which is why the odds favor those players.
Keegan Bradley FRL (+3200)
Keegan Bradley is coming off a fantastic season, where he finished seventh in the final FedEx Cup standings. While his Ryder Cup captainship didn’t go as planned, Bradley should be determined to get back on the course and resume his good play. He didn’t play well at the Sony Open in Hawaii, but he has a great history here at Torrey Pines. In 14 trips to the Farmers Insurance Open, Bradley has eight top-25 finishes, including three top-five finishes. Bradley finished T15 last year on the back of a strong opening round score of 69. This is a driver-heavy course, which favors Bradley’s game. Last year, he finished fifth on the PGA Tour in total driving efficiency. Bradley also finished eighth in strokes gained around the green last season. Being able to maneuver around the greens is another essential key to success here. Bradley should take advantage of his opening round on the North Course and put up a low number.
Will Zalatoris FRL (+3400)
Will Zalatoris missed the second half of last season with an injury, but made his return last week at The American Express. In his first tournament in over six months, Zalatoris finished T18 on the back of a strong opening round 65. In five career starts at the Farmers Insurance Open, Zalatoris has finished T13 or better three times, including a runner-up finish in 2022. He gained over four strokes on the field last week, and while he has only played one tournament, he ranks third on the PGA Tour in total strokes gained so far this season. Zalatoris has a great history with his long irons and avoids bogeys masterfully. If he can get his putter hot, he could put up a low number in the first round and get to the top of the leaderboard.
