SAN DIEGO – Harris English brushed past the 18th green at Torrey Pines’ South Course early Tuesday without much fanfare. Just 17 days ago, the five-time PGA Tour winner pulled off an emotional victory at the Farmers Insurance Open on the final green, and the tragic L.A.-area wildfires have brought him back.
The Tour relocated this week’s Genesis Invitational from Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades to Torrey Pines, creating a unique opportunity for English.
“Normally, you have to wait a year to come back and defend your title but it kind of feels like defending right now, a couple of weeks later,” said English, who won the Farmers Insurance Open by one stroke over Sam Stevens.
While returning to Torrey Pines less than three weeks after his victory is a bit surreal, English said the good vibes from that victory would give him added confidence going into the season’s third signature event.
“I feel like you learn how to play this place over the years,” English said. “I played it lot, played it in some tough conditions. I definitely didn’t have my ‘A’ game tee to green the last day but I got it done, so it’s nice to have that in your back pocket. Knowing where to miss it, making some key up-and-downs and my putter felt great all week.”
English can join Tiger Woods in an exclusive category if he can pull off the Torrey Pines double. Woods won at Torrey Pines twice in 2008, first at the Buick Invitational (now the Farmers) and then at the U.S. Open, which concluded on Monday with an 18-hole playoff. Woods also won twice at Pebble Beach in 2000, first at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and then the U.S. Open.
The South Course can also make a bit of history this week by finishing among the Tour’s top 10 toughest layouts twice in a single season. Although it’s still early, the South Course currently ranks as the toughest on Tour with a 73.68 average (1.68 over par) at the Farmers Insurance Open. With wet and windy conditions in the forecast this week, players are expecting a similarly demanding test.
“I imagine it will be pretty much the same,” English said of this week’s setup. “Obviously, it looks like it’s going to rain a little bit more this week, so the greens will be a little softer than we played it a few weeks ago. The rough will be similar, greens might be softer but other than using four pins instead of three pins (the Farmers Insurance Open uses a two-course rotation). You know what to expect out here, it’s going to be hard.”
The South Course ranked as the 10th-toughest (Buick Invitational) and third-toughest (U.S. Open) in 2008, and Pebble Beach ranked as the toughest (U.S. Open) and sixth-toughest (AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am) in 2000.
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