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“Farmer’s Open-Fabulous”

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The stars come out in the sunshine at Torrey Pines, as the 2020 Farmer’s Open tees off with a calvalcade of stars dotting the field.

Tiger Woods returns to the scene of one of his greatest accomplishments, winning the US Open while playing thru a broken leg.

Woods capped his miraculous comeback from all his personal and professional problems by winning the Masters at Augusta last spring.  He kicks off his 2020 season here, needing just one win, to break the PGA all time victory mark of 83-wins, passing the legendary Sam Snead.

Woods statistical accomplishments are staggering, the 82-wins, the 15-Grand Slam events, the 11-time Player of the Year, 10-times a Money winner on the tour.

Included are 5-Masters titles, 3-US Opens and 3-times a winner at the British Open.  He has won at Torrey Pines 7-times in its history

The field is loaded and Woods knows the tour now is as tough as it has ever been.  Phil Mickelson returns home, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Jason Day, Jordan Spieth  and young sensation Xander Schauffele are here, plus all the names,  are on hand to take on the North and South Greens.

Tiger Woods comments:

..Have enjoyed Torrey Pines…played well here as a professional…
..Came here when it was the old Andy Williams Open
..Coming off President’s Cup play…was a bit fried after that tourney…needed to get away with it
..Olympic Year…Medal is on our mind…US guys have to play well.
..So many events to be played over the next 6-months.

..This tour is so young…so many good young players…to play for so well for decades is an accomplishment
..It is a different sport than it has ever been
..jI still have the ability to hit the ball…but so many guys can now hit over 300-ayrds off the tee.
..It is such a different game…some 50-guys can bomb the ball…when I started maybe 3-of us could.

..Taking time off-then come back-takes time to knock rust off…have to manage my training and preparation.
..I am hell-bent to play…I have to dumb myself down in preparation…
..I need to manage my adrenalin
..I need to step back and take some time to come back
..Sometimes it takes 3-4-5 holes to find my rhythm.
..Concentrate on putting and technique-not as much long ball hitting now preparing to play
..I need to grind thru a process to get ready..putting..chipping..pitching..wedging…work thru the entire bad.

..I can still drive…my driver is not maxed out….I can still torque it off tee
..The majors (15)..I don’t speculate how many more I can get
..Not too many guys can get to that number. though.
..Expectations for Tiger..I have had more good days than bad..but at 44-I feel bad days more
..Hardest part of where I am at…hard to put together all 4-days…hard to recover from some rounds

..Break Sam Snead record of 82-wins…so many shots you have to play-can’t think of wins-streaks…
..Steaks-think about Edwin Moses winning 113-straight races…I can’t think of streaks..just make shots each round
..Need to be consistent to win a lot of tourneys…have won 5-to-10 tourneys in some years..
..Winning breeds winning-you get a feel when on top of your game

..Carry over from last year…feel good about finish…but have a lot of testing to do now
..North-South Course…changes…will see it in Pro-Am
..US Open…narrow fairways-hard greens…that’s what tourney is…miss fairway-get punished.
..Sure next year tourney will be tough here.

..Training is different now…different regimen
..I can’t go to the first tee and hit a 300-yard shot anymore…I can’t chip a driver 100-yards anymore
..I need a lot to prepare…stretching….for practice…and to play….
..I need time to start the process on the range of moving

..I know my body-but my body is now different and I have to prepare differently.

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Jordan Spieth had such a great splash at a young age.  His 2015 season was amazing.  At the young age he won 3-majors …winning the Masters, the US Open and the Tour championship plus the Fed X-title.  He was the youngest US Open since 1923.  But then game injuries, a loss of mechanics and a blow to his confidence.  From the top to the bottom of a winless season.  Now he is back.

Jordan Spieth comments:

..Torrey Pines is so beautiful…a peaceful place to be
..Coming off a long break-ready to get started
..Have set some lofty goals for ..From 12 years old it was easy…
..It has gotten harder…then panic set in
..Take each week to make improvement…then fix things in offseason
..Feel like 2013…feel comfortable
..Got out of off season tourneys with what I wanted to
..Big picture, I am in good frame of mind and need to be patient
..Worked on a lot…needed to fix mechanical flaws in my swing
..I have researched back what I was doing when things went well
..Putted well but timing with longer clubs out of the bag
..I did research to find the red flags in my swing…get my timing back
..I haven’t played any tourney rounds yet, but ready to trust what I can trust.
..I know what feels good with my swing…I have to find it again and will
..Need to pace myself and not panic…it’s my 1st rouney in 3-months.
..I want to stay consistent….practice well…turn that into good rounds.
..I need to take my time on my shots and play my style
..When you play with Tiger-he plays at a fast pace
..Rules officials understand the pace we play
..Golf courses take time to play..not going from a (4:40-to-3:40) round
..I did not enjoy being labelled as a slow player
..Players need time to get a feel for the courses we play..it takes time.
..I watched President’s Cup…excited for the Ryder Cup..love to represent the country
..Need to play my game consistently.

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Justin Rose is the defending champion as they tee off on Thursday.  It’s been quite a career, for someone who missed the cut in his first 21-tourneys on the tour.  Since then he has won the US Open,the first Brit since Tony Jacklin to do it in 1970.  He has now been ranked #1 coming into the season.  He has 10-tour wins, the Fex X-championship, and 24-global wins in his career.

Justin Rose quotes:

..Torrey is one of my favorite venues on tour.
..Special come back from a win last year and play so well last season
..Playing abroad is a highlife of my career….game taking off in Japan too

..US Ryder Cup team is hardest team in world to make
..British  team-world rankings go up……
..Having been ranked #1 in world

..Changing PGA tour schedule….there used to be peaks and valleys on schedule
..Now you need reserve to get thru the schedule…because the Olympics are part of all this
..We need to structure your workouts to be ready…can’t play catchup on the road…
..Need to take care of yourself…to be ready for new schedule

..Things I value in preparation…injuries change your approach
..Back injuries force you to re-evalute how train…and what changes to make
..It takes a good 6-months to see realists if you make changes
..You must play well of the tee…that is where it starts…
..Must do work at home to be ready…can’t do it on a Wednesday on the tour.

..Tiger Woods-coaching himself..you want ownership of your own game..
..He has had a few coaches…knows where he is now as talent…
..He is playing within himself..
..His resiliency is a testament to him and his approach
..To have 4-surgeries is quite something
..It is not just physically but how you play mentally.
..Mental side goes with it when you get hurt
..He wants it to happen…now he is back to where he used to be
..Him going for 83rd win..his game got stronger and stronger
..It is hard to rack up 7-8-9 wins a year….it is impressive what he did.
..You learn how to work around injuries…3-D technology has helped us evaluate ourselves.

..Yes I watched President’s Cup..enjoyed how Tiger played the course..and see Internationals give US run for money

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