Hello there.

This is a new time slot for my weekly preview. Wednesday morning was just cutting it too close.

Hope you enjoy.

And on this first Monday of the new preview schedule, we will be discussing the Farmers Insurance Open. It is played at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California.

After a three-course rota at last week’s CareerBuilder Challenge, we have another hitch in our giddy-up this week. The first two rounds of this week’s event will be split between Torrey Pines (South) and Torrey Pines (North). This is very important to note, because they are like night and day.

The South Course is as long as they come, stretching out to 7,700 yards basically. Walking away with par on this course will beat the field average every time. It doesn’t help that the fairways are some of the hardest to hit on TOUR. Not only are you playing the longest course on TOUR, but you’re doing it out of the thick stuff! #ToughNuggets

The North Course on the other hand, is just a little guy, a par 72 that plays around 7,050 yards. If you sign for an even-par 72 at this track, you just lost a couple strokes to the field. They are much needed strokes too, since three of the four rounds will be played on the difficult South Course.

Give a look at the Farmers Fantasy Golfanac for quotes and course details.

Players to Watch

Jason Day… He shook off the holiday/baby rust at the Hyundai TOC, and was looking like the real Jason Day by week’s end. With a couple more weeks of practice reps in, Day should be just fine in his title defense.

Dustin Johnson… It’s no surprise that bombers love Torrey Pines. That’s why it’s a little surprising to see just one top 10 (in seven tries) for DJ. Perhaps it’s a case of “sightlines not matching up,” but he still remains a top-tier selection, with high winning potential. A possible fade if you want to go off course history. Possible, but dangerous.

Patrick Rodgers… Justin Thomas has been “Jordan Spieth’s good buddy” for too long now. It’s time he gets a pal of his own. If you’ve been following this trio, you know they go back a long way. So, from here on out, Rodgers will be “Justin Thomas’ good buddy, Patrick Rodgers.” Other than being friends with these elite golfers, there are other reasons I like Rodgers this week. If you adjust driving distance and GIR to the field, this Stanford product stands out in both categories, near the top. Making his tournament debut this week, I expect Rodgers to make a big splash.

Brandt Snedeker… IS firing himself out of a cannon to kickoff the new year. Now he arrives at a venue where he owns five top 10s in nine tries! A perfect mix of form and course history.

Patrick Reed… Last week I said Reed was a good fade and likely to finish in the 20th to 40th range. Well, that’s where he hovered for most of the week, but stalled on Sunday to finish T56. This is a possible spot to jump on the train as everyone quickly abandons. However, nothing truly stands out for him this week. So I’d make him a decent, not great, play.

Francesco Molinari… The Italian just doesn’t miss cuts. He’s not long off the tee, so this week’s 76 million yard course might not suit his play style. That being said, he’s navigated plenty of long venues and settled just fine. I wouldn’t expect this to be a place he wins at, but another paycheck is likely.

Carlos Ortiz… Torrey Pines South Course is LONGGGG. In six starts on courses over 7,400 yards, Ortiz has top 25s in four of them. On Poa? He sports top 25s in 3-of-5 starts. This appears to be a venue that could really suite the game of this up-and-comer. Look no further than last year’s T11 debut for evidence.

Tony Finau… What to do, what to do? The numbers said to fade Finau yet again last year because of his history on bermuda greens. I ignored those warning signs because of his past success at Q-School. Oops! Now that we’re off bermuda and putting on poa annua, instead, I think it is safe to throw him back on your rosters.

Charles Howell III… The perfect mix of history and form. CH3 loves the early-season West Coast swing events. This stop is no different as he’s gained 43.6 strokes over the field in his last six starts. Overall, he is 13-for-13 at the Farmers, with six top 10s. That includes a pair of runner-up finishes. What about form? Over the last 10 weeks of PGA TOUR play, Howell III has gained more strokes than anyone else in this field! Double-check this week. Lock him in.

Brendan Steele… The California native was cruising last week until a Sunday implosion that dropped him back to T34. That blow-up round included a triple-bogey and three other (single) bogeys. He entered the round with just four holes of bogey-or-worse. He may have ripped out a lot of hearts last week as people watched their GPP scores drop, but he should bounce back just fine this week.

Emiliano Grillo… Won the 2009 Junior Worlds… played at Torrey Pines South Course. In addition to that, he won this year’s Frys.com Open… another par 72 track with poa annua greens. If the year of Argentina continues, then Grillo will be the one getting it done this week.

Farmers Cheatsheet… Head over to Daily Fantasy Solutions and grab this week’s DraftKings cheatsheet for just five bucks. This week’s content will drop on Tuesday morning. This includes guys that fit the stat profile, golfers that are in good form, course history, recommended cash game targets and more! I love hearing about the success people are having with the weekly DraftKings cheatsheet so check it out!

My Top 25 for the 2016 Farmers Insurance Open
1. Jason Day
2. Dustin Johnson
3. Justin Rose
4. Hideki Matsuyama
5. Brandt Snedeker
6. Rickie Fowler
7. Phil Mickelson
8. Charles Howell III
9. J.B. Holmes
10. Patrick Rodgers
11. Brendan Steele
12. Patrick Reed
13. Harris English
14. Bill Haas
15. Keegan Bradley
16. Tony Finau
17. Paul Casey
18. Gary Woodland
19. Matt Jones
20. Emiliano Grillo
21. Charley Hoffman
22. Jimmy Walker
23. Marc Leishman
24. Hunter Mahan
25. Cameron Tringale