The $9.2 million Farmers Insurance Open is scheduled to begin Wednesday at Torrey Pines Golf Course, short of some of its star power by injury and illness.
After playing each year since 2016, his rookie year on the PGA Tour, San Diego State and Scripps Ranch High School alum Xander Schauffele will miss the tournament after withdrawing before the start of last week's The American Express in La Quinta for what was only described as "medical" reasons.
Schauffele has played only one of the year's three PGA Tour events, tying for 30th in the season-opening winners-only The Sentry, which concluded Jan. 5. Schauffele is second in the Official World Golf Ranking following a 2024 season when he won twice, was second three times and had 15 top 10 finishes in his 22 starts on the PGA Tour.
Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler hasn't played this season after injuring his right hand on a broken glass preparing Christmas dinner.
Fifth-ranked Collin Morikawa withdraw with what his manager said were flu-like symptoms.
Their absences have made Ludvig Aberg, a 25-year-old Swede who played at Texas Tech, as the 9-1 pre-tournament favorite, according to FanDuel, the official betting operator of the PGA Tour.
Aberg is sixth on the Official World Golf Ranking. He tied for fifth in The Sentry, his only 2025 start.
In 2024, his first full season on the PGA Tour, Aberg advanced to the Tour Championship and
finished 16th in the FedExCup standings. Aberg had eight top 10 finishes in 2024, with three second-place finishes, including in the Masters Tournament, finishing four strokes behind Scheffler.
"San Diego's my favorite place in the world," Aberg said at a news conference Tuesday. "It's almost like you're looking down at the water and it gives me a little bit of peace."
Aberg tied for ninth in last year's Farmers Insurance Open.
Fourth-ranked Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, the highest ranked player in the field of 156, is the second choice at 11-1. Matsuyama won The Sentry, shooting 35-under-par 257 for the lowest score in relation to par in a 72-hole event since the start of the 1983 season.
Frenchman Matthieu Pavon is the defending champion after winning
the 2024 tournament, birdieing the 72nd hole to win by one stroke over Nicolai Hojgaard in his third start on the PGA Tour after seven seasons on the DP World Tour.
Pavon had four top 10 finishes in his 19 starts on the PGA Tour in 2024.
"I think the second year is always kind of the confirmation year," the 32-year-old said. "That was a great rookie one, but now it's time to confirm, it's time to show up again and try to win tournaments."
Pavon tied for 48th in The Sentry, his only start in 2025.
There are four players in the field who went to high school or college in San Diego County — Charley Hoffman (Poway High School); Michael Kim (Torrey Pines High School); Cavin McCall (El Cajon Christian) and J.J. Spaun (San Diego State).
The 48-year-old Hoffman will be making his 27th appearance at The Farmers Insurance Open. He has three top 10 finishes — tying for seventh in 2009 and 2014 and tying for ninth in 2020.
Hoffman tied for fifth in The American Express after sharing the lead through two rounds.
The winner will receive $1.674 million.
For the fourth consecutive year, the tournament will begin on a Wednesday, one day earlier than usual, and conclude Saturday, to avoid a conflict with Sunday's telecasts of the NFL conference championship games, American television's most-watched programming outside of Super Bowl Sunday.
The Farmers Insurance Open is the only PGA Tour event that plays Wednesday through Saturday.
Grounds tickets start at $65 Wednesday and Thursday, $75 Friday and $85 Saturday.
Tickets will be dynamically priced and could fluctuate based on demand and variables in the market, according to tournament organizers.
All active duty military members, reservists, retired and veterans and dependents are eligible for discounted tickets Wednesday and Thursday, along with fans 60 and older.
Children 15 and under receive complimentary admission each day of the tournament when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Each ticketed adult may bring one child.
The tournament will be televised on Golf Channel from noon-4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, noon-2 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday and on CBS from 2-5 p.m. Friday and 1-5 p.m. Saturday.
Additional coverage will be streamed on ESPN+ from 8:45 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
