San Diego’s favorite son, Phil Mickelson, makes his 2010 PGA Tour season debut at the Farmers Insurance Open — which was title-sponsored by Buick, most recently as the Buick Open, from 1992-2009 — at Torrey Pines Golf Course this week.
The University of San Diego High School product grew up roughly 10 miles from Torrey Pines and has been playing the world-class facility since he was a teenager. With local knowledge of both Par-72 courses — the North (6,874 yards) and South (7,569 yards) — Mickelson won his hometown event in 1993, 2000 and 2001.
But following $3.5 million worth of renovations to the La Jolla layout by Rees Jones in 2001, Lefty has been unable to find his groove — which, similar to the new clubface rule changes, went from large squared to smaller rounded — since the facelift gave Torrey Pines a new look, especially on and around the greens.
“I knew the greens inside and out, having grown up here and playing high school golf,” said Mickelson. “Now, having played here the past eight or nine years, I’m starting to understand the course better. I’m starting to see the nuances of the greens.”
This week, the decade-old redesign will be an afterthought compared to the recent rainstorms that have hit the normally sunny San Diego-area course. Strong winds uprooted 20 trees, while the rain-soaked fairways have slowed their roll considerably, putting further emphasis on distance off the tee for a star-studded field competing for a $5.3 million total purse with a $954,000 winner’s share.
Although the local legend is Mickelson and the defending champ is Nick Watney — who posted an 11-under 277 for a one shot win over John Rollins in the Buick Open last year — the real king of Torrey Pines will be nowhere in sight this weekend.
There have been no substantial Tiger sightings since his infamous Nov. 27 car wreck and its tabloid train wreck aftermath. But that doesn’t erase his unbelievable track record in La Jolla. The former Buick pitchman won the event in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, not to mention Tiger’s epic 91-hole one-legged 2008 U.S. Open win in a playoff with Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines.
Despite winning five of the last seven and six overall, Tiger will be missing in action once again — something most on Tour hope will change sooner rather than later.
“The game of golf needs him to come back,” said Mickelson. “It’s important for him to come back and be a part of the sport. But right now he’s got a lot more important things going on in his life.”
Some have suggested that the world’s No. 2 is being counted on to fill in for the game’s No. 1 player, so to speak. But Lefty pushes those ideas away like an errant drive. Mickelson is more interested in being Tiger’s rival than he is his replacement.
“Nobody will be able to fill the shoes that are voided right now. My whole career I’ve been trying to get to No. 1, I just haven’t had much success,” said Mickelson. “I’m just excited to play golf. I’m excited to get back into competition and be a part of this.”

The Farmers Insurance Open will be televised by GOLF Channel (3:00 p.m. ET) on Thursday and Friday before CBS (3:00 p.m. ET) takes over the weekend coverage.
