The PGA Tour is all set for its last tournament of January 2024, the Farmers Insurance Open scheduled to be held at the Torrey Pines Golf Course. The field for the upcoming event has several stars from the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings but only two multiple-time champions will be teeing off this Thursday. The golfers are Brandt Snedeker and Jason Day who has won the tournament twice in 2015 and 2018.
But, it is quite an interesting fact that the most player to have the most success at the Farmers Insurance Open is legendary golfer Tiger Woods. He has won the tournament seven times in his career, with his first victory coming back in 1999. His other victories came in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2013.
Apart from Tiger Woods, only eight players have won the Farmers Insurance Open more than once in their career. There names and winning years are mentioned below.
- Phil Mickelson – Three times (1993, 2000, and 2001)
- Tommy Bolt – Two times (1953 and 1955)
- Arnold Palmer – Two times (1957 and 1961)
- J. C. Snead – Two times (1975 and 1976)
- Tom Watson – Two times (1977 and 1980)
- Steve Pate – Two times (1988 and 1992)
- Brandt Snedeker – Two times (2012 and 2016)
- Jason Day – Two times (2015 and 2018)
While most of the golfers in the aforementioned list have won twice, only the arch-rivals Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have won the Farmers Insurance Open three or more times in their career.
Exploring Other Records And Farmers Insurance Open Facts
The inaugural edition of this PGA Tour event was played back in 1952. It was then known as the San Diego Open. The initial few editions of the tournament were hosted at the San Diego Country Club, Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club, Mission Valley Country Club, Singing Hills Country Club, and Rancho Bernardo Country Club.
Later in 1968, a rebranded Farmers Insurance Open then known as the Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational started to be held at the Torrey Pines Golf Course. Since then the tournament has been played at the same venue on two different courses – the North course and the South course.
Gene Littler was the only golfer to have won the tournament as an amateur. He won the PGA Tour-hosted event back in 1954 by defeating Dutch Harrison by a margin of four strokes. After turning professional, he ended three times as a runner-up in the event in 1969, 1974, and 1978.
At the present home of the Farmers Insurance Open, the Torrey Pines Golf Course, Mark Brooks and Brandt Snedeker hold the record for lowest round score in the North course. They achieved this feat in 1990 and 2007, respectively. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods holds the record for the lowest round score at the South Course. He shot a round of 62 in 1999.
Back in 1982, Johnny Miller defeated Jack Nicklaus by one stroke to win the tournament. It was one of the most memorable moments in the history of the tournament.
Late heavyweight boxer Joe Louis was invited as a sponsor’s exemption to play the tournament back in 1952. He became the first ever African-American player to compete on the Northern America-based golf circuit.
Only J. C. Snead and Phil Mickelson have defended the title of this PGA Tour event. They did so in 1975-76 and 2000-01, respectively. Now, if Max Homa defends his title at the Farmers Insurance Open 2024, he will be enlisted in this unique list.
