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This week's field at Torrey Pines is loaded with 56 players ranked in the top 100 of the Official World Rankings, including 27 in the top 50. That's a significant jump from last year's 45 top-100 players and 16 top-50 players. Notable names include Xander Schauffele (#6), Ludvig Aberg (#19), Cameron Young (#20), Patrick Cantlay (#26), and Jason Day (#33).

The field includes 11 players from the top 25 of the 2025 FedEx Cup point standings.  #2 Patrick Cantlay, #4 Cameron Young, #7 Keegan Bradley, #10 Chris Gotterup, #13 Akshay Bhatia, #13 Harris English, #21 Ludvig Aberg, #21 Justin Rose, #23 Maverick McNealy, #25 Andrew Novak, and #25 J.J. Spaun.

The field also includes seven past champions who have combined for nine Farmers titles: Harris English (2025), Matthieu Pavon (2024), Max Homa (2023), Luke List (2022), Justin Rose (2019), Jason Day (2018 & 2015), and Brandt Snedeker (2016 & 2012).

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The 2026 season kicked off with Scottie Scheffler absolutely destroying the field at the American Express, winning by four shots despite a double bogey on 17. He made 32 birdies for the week—the most at the American Express since it went to 72 holes in 2012. Scheffler was third in Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee, hit 59 of 72 greens (T-6th), and led the field in Putting Average. The performance shows Scheffler is still in peak form and ready for another dominant season.

One of the most intriguing storylines this week is Brooks Koepka's return to the PGA Tour. After struggling on LIV Golf in 2024—where his best finish in nine starts was T-17th—Koepka was allowed to resign. The PGA Tour has given him a lifeline for 2026, but it comes with conditions: a $5 million charity contribution, no FedEx Cup bonus money this year, and no equity shares for five years. Still, with his reported $100 million LIV signing bonus and $46 million in LIV earnings, it's hard to feel too sorry for him. The big question is whether the five-time major champion can rediscover his form. I think he could win in 2026, particularly at the majors.

Xander Schauffele will want to forget 2025. It started with a rib injury that forced him to withdraw from multiple events. An MRI revealed an intercostal strain with a small cartilage tear. After returning at the Arnold Palmer (T-40th), he never quite found his rhythm despite finishing T-8th at the Masters. For the first time since joining the Tour in 2017, he didn't make it to the Tour Championship, finishing 42nd on the FedEx Cup list. The good news? He won the Baycurrent Classic in October, showing he's worked hard on his game. Schauffele grew up playing at Torrey Pines, though his record here is mixed—T-2nd in 2021 and T-9th in 2024 are his only top tens in nine starts. He's always seemed to battle illness when the Farmers rolls around, missing four cuts. Expect a strong performance this week.

The Farmers Insurance Open is played on two courses at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California. The South Course (the home course) plays as a par 72 stretching 7,765 yards, while the North Course plays as a par 72 at 7,258 yards. Both courses were designed by Billy Bell Jr. and opened in 1957.

The South Course underwent extensive renovations by Rees Jones after the 2001 event in preparation for the 2008 U.S. Open. Jones added significant length and redid all the bunkers while moving greens on four holes. After the 2019 event, Jones returned with $14 million in improvements to prepare for the 2021 U.S. Open, including a new irrigation system, reseeded tees, and renovated bunkers. The changes added another 67 yards, making it 7,765 yards—the longest course on tour and the first to venture over 7,700 yards.

The weather looks perfect for the week, which could lead to lower scores despite the course's challenging setup.

Ryan Gerard is off to a scorching start with a second-place finish at the Sony Open and T-2nd at the American Express. He was T-15th in his Farmers debut last year, making him worth watching. Jason Day hasn't won in a couple of years but consistently posts top tens. He was T-2nd at the American Express last week, and with two Farmers wins already on his résumé, he's someone to watch closely.

Andrew Putnam was also T-2nd at the American Express and has been playing solid golf. His third Farmers start last year resulted in a T-32nd finish. Si Woo Kim, who was T-6th at the Amex and T-11th at the Hawaii Open, has played in eight Farmers and will be hunting for his first top ten. Don't sleep on Keegan Bradley, who finished second at the Farmers in 2024.

Driving Distance and Accuracy: The South Course stretches over 7,750 yards, making driving crucial this week. Fairways will be wet with little run after last week's heavy rain. The course features U.S. Open-style rough—last year it ranked 5th in rough proximity, with players in the rough averaging 52 feet 1 inch to the hole. Keeping it in the fairway is essential.

Scrambling: Scramblers have historically done very well at the Farmers. The course has ranked in the top ten toughest for scrambling for the last 14 years. Last year it ranked 9th, while it was 7th in 2024 and 3rd in 2023. Look for players who can get it up and down to win.

Performance on the North Course: One round is played on Torrey North, which plays about 3 to 3.5 shots easier than the South Course. To win, players need to go low on the North. Since 1983, no champion has been over par on the North Course, and most have shot in the 60s. Look for the champion to shoot 67 or better on the North.

Putting on Poa Annua: The greens are classified as "bumpy" and feature 99% Poa Annua, despite being redone in 2001. These are the hardest greens to putt on the PGA Tour—more putts from 3 to 6 feet are missed here than anywhere else. Patience will be key.

Before Harris English and Matthieu Pavon's recent wins, Californians dominated the Farmers. Between 1988 and 2013, 18 of 26 winners had California roots, including Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Craig Stadler, and Mark O'Meara. Of the 71 Farmers tournaments played, 25 winners have California roots. This isn't just a coincidence—Poa Annua is grass found mainly in California, giving those who grew up playing on it a unique advantage. Max Homa, born in Burbank and educated in Berkeley, joined this list in 2023.

Be sure to check out our Farmers Insurance Key Fantasy Stats for the complete breakdown on what it takes to win this week at Torrey Pines.