Up next is the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, which has been the home of the Farmers Insurance Open since 1968. Harris English (-8) won this event by one shot a year ago. There will be 145 golfers competing this week and each player will play one round at the South Course (par 72, 7,765 yards, POA greens) and the North Course (par 72, 7,258 yards, bentgrass greens) of Torrey Pines. Then, there will be a top-65 and ties cut and those players who advance will return to the South Course for the final two rounds of the event.
Below, I have featured two of my favorite long shot outright bets to win the Farmers Insurance Open on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Andrew Novak (+11000)
Novak missed the cut on the number at the American Express last week, but before this, he had made five straight cuts and carded two top-eight finishes over this timeframe. Novak is coming off a career-best season on the PGA TOUR, where he won the Zurich Classic with Ben Griffin as his partner and nearly won numerous times as an individual. Novak lost in a playoff to Justin Thomas at the RBC Heritage, he finished T-3 at the Valero Texas Open and last but not least, he finished third at the Farmers Insurance Open.
Novak carded a 6-under 66 at the South Course of Torrey Pines that week and he also finished T-13 at the Genesis Invitational a few weeks later, which was played at the South Course instead of Riviera Country Club due to the Los Angeles wildfires. Novak clearly is fond of the South Course and his prowess for this par 72 is enough for me to back him at this long number.
Sami Valimaki (+17500)
While Valimaki missed the cut at the American Express last week, he has never fared well at that event, with that being his third missed cut in three starts at the tournament. Conversely, the Farmers Insurance Open is an event that Valimaki has played well at, finishing T-43 and T-15 in his two starts at Torrey Pines. The professional out of Finland was also playing the best golf of his career before the American Express.
In his three starts prior, Valimaki finished runner-up, T-18 and first, in that order, with that win coming at the RSM Classic in November, marking his first victory on the PGA TOUR. During this span, Valimaki shot a career-low 61 at the World Wide Technology Championship and he carded a 62 during his win at the RSM Classic. Valimaki has vaulted himself up 82 spots in the world golf rankings since the start of November and while he has only won once on the PGA TOUR, he is no stranger to closing out tournaments, as Valimaki has two DP World Tour wins on his resume. Valimaki contending this week isn’t the craziest thought and these +17500 odds are way too long for his potential.
