The Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Club in San Diego, California, had a major feel to it late Saturday afternoon as the strongest field of the 2021-2022 season came down the stretch with as many as ten players in serious contention during the final round.
In the end, after waiting almost two hours for the rest of the field to finish, Luke List defeated Will Zalatoris with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
The tournament was played from Wednesday to Saturday to accommodate CBS’ coverage of Sunday’s AFC Championship Game in the NFL.
It was the third event held in a little over a year at Torrey Pines, with the 2021 U.S. Open won by Jon Rahm having been played at the venue in addition to the annual Farmers Insurance Open for the past two seasons.
List was finally able to capture his first PGA Tour title at the age of 37 after making a birdie on the par five, 72nd hole to post a 15 under score of 273 shortly after the leaders had begun play on the back nine. Several players had a chance to get into the playoff, including two-time Farmers Insurance Open winner Jason Day and 2021 U.S. Open winner Jon Rahm, but Zalatoris was the only one to tie List’s total.
Zalatoris had a chance to win in regulation, but his drive on the 18th hole found a fairway bunker, and his 12-foot birdie putt just missed on the right edge of the cup. In the playoff, both players found a bunker off the tee, with List knocking his third shot to within inches of the hole. Facing almost an identical putt as he did in regulation, Zalatoris, the 25-year-old sensation out of Wake Forest, didn’t come close to sinking his effort.
With the win, List picked up $1.512 million, 500 FedEx Cup points that moved him to fourth in the standings, as well as earning entry into the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, and next year’s Sentry Tournament of Champions.
It was List’s 206th Tour event, and he entered the week at odds of +8000 to pick up his initial title while the runner-up was at +2800 to finally break through with a Tour victory.
Results for Betting Odds Favorites
Rahm was the favorite at +700 but came up one stroke short of the playoff after making a birdie on the 17th hole, but then failed to make his 15 footer for a tying birdie on the 18th to finish at 14 under par in a tie or third.
Justin Thomas had odds of +1200, but after sharing the 36-hole lead following a nine under par 63 on Thursday, he faded on the weekend with rounds of 73-74 to tie for 20th place.
Xander Schauffele at +1600 was never a factor and finished tied for 34th at seven under par 281, Dustin Johnson (+1800) came in tied for 25th, two time 2021-2022 winner Hideki Matsuyama (+1800) managed a tie for 30th at eight under par 280 while Bryson DeChambeau (+1800) missed the cut by a shot.
Hometown favorite son Phil Mickelson had odds of +12500, and for a good reason, as he struggled to an opening 76 and was never a factor to make the three under par cut.
