Guide to wagering on the Farmers Insurance Open: Top betting options, DFS advice, and additional insights

The PGA Tour travels to San Diego for the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, a rotation event that distinguishes patience from impulsiveness.

Competitors will alternate rounds between the North and South courses prior to the weekend, after which all play will take place on the South, which presents a longer and more challenging examination.

Scoring is seldom explosive at this venue. Last year, Harris English triumphed with a score of eight under par, with only a few players finishing at five under or better. This illustrates the nature of the competition.

Torrey rewards players who can manage their misses, scramble effectively, and maintain composure on Poa annua greens. While distance is advantageous, the ability to recover is even more crucial.

The players I favor for top-20 finishes share the same characteristics I trust for contention in the tournament. I generally opt for plus money when it makes sense, but the outright odds are available for those interested in longer shots.

Best bets

Harris English: Top 20 (+130)

Full odds:

• Top 10 +270

• Top 5 +550

• To win 32-1

English offers consistency on a course that penalizes erratic play. Torrey Pines favors patience, scrambling, and the ability to endure extended periods where par is a commendable score. This encapsulates English’s game. He competes by missing in the appropriate areas, getting up and down when others falter, and remaining mentally steady when scoring stagnates. His familiarity with the course is advantageous, as he comprehends it both visually and strategically. His exceptional scrambling ability, combined with his long-term comfort on Poa annua greens, where putting can be unpredictable, enhances his reliability. If his putting performs even moderately well, his chances of winning are significant.

Hideki Matsuyama: Top 20 (+130)

Full odds:

• Top 10 +265

• Top 5 +540

• To win 30-1

Torrey Pines favors the one skill that Matsuyama excels at more than nearly anyone else in this field: exceptional ball striking that holds up on tougher courses. Since this is not a birdie-fueled event, enduring the challenges of Torrey is more critical than shooting low scores. Matsuyama consistently gains strokes tee-to-green here, indicating he hits greens, avoids large numbers, and sets himself up for stress-free pars. This is the key statistic for non-golf bettors: Matsuyama keeps the ball out of trouble. While he is not an elite putter, if he can perform at least averagely on the greens, it could suffice when his irons are sharp. On a demanding layout, Matsuyama’s profile yields a high floor, which is desirable for a Top 20 bet.

Ryan Gerard: Top 20 (+160)

Full odds:

• Top 10 +345

• Top 5 +710

• To win 43-1

Gerard is my instinctive pick of the week. If you miss greens, can you still secure a par? That’s what I’m assessing. This is the essential skill that Gerard has quietly excelled at around the greens, which may be more significant here than sheer birdie-making. His recent performance supports this: back-to-back second-place finishes demonstrate confidence, along with improved putting in both tournaments. With a T15 finish here last year and several Top 25 results on similar courses, Gerard may feel at ease navigating this layout. If he can avoid catastrophic holes and manage his misses, he can keep the pressure off his scorecard.

Players to consider for Daily Fantasy

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Wyndham Clark, $8,500: He presents a playable combination of potential and reliability. The primary fantasy appeal is his weighted strokes gained putting (second), and he is also positive around the greens, ranking top 10 in Poa putting (7th). His results at Torrey are inconsistent due to fluctuating ball striking, but when his putter is effective, he can accumulate birdie runs and bonus points. He is suited for tournament play rather than cash wagers.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout, $7,300: He is a floor-first option with hidden upside. His scrambling ability ranks among the best in the field, which is crucial when greens are frequently missed. He also performs well overall and on these green types, mitigating the surface risk that affects lower-priced options. He may not be a long hitter and won’t dominate par 5s, but Bezuidenhout avoids calamities and maintains the integrity of his rounds. In fantasy, this translates to four rounds, consistent points, and salary relief without sacrificing equity.

DFS player to fade

Cameron Young, $10,000: This represents a poor allocation of salary this week, investing in raw talent rather than a scoring strategy that aligns with Torrey. His results here (a T20 and a missed cut) are disappointing for this price point, his Poa putting is inconsistent, and his fantasy value hinges on birdie bursts that this course actively suppresses. At this price, either elite course fit or exceptional putting is required, and Young offers neither. He could finish T12, but this price demands a winning performance. Allocating funds here could hinder the opportunity to acquire two more reliable mid-range players with better cut equity and similar upside.