Matthieu Pavon hits his method shot on the twelfth gap throughout the first spherical of The Sentry golf match at Plantation Course at Kapalua. Obligatory Credit score: Kyle Terada-Imagn Pictures
Matthieu Pavon knocked in an 8-foot birdie putt on the 72nd gap of the Farmers Insurance coverage Open final January and made PGA Tour historical past for his native France.
Pavon grew to become the primary Frenchman to win an official tour occasion and returns to San Diego this week to defend his title, with the match teeing off Wednesday at Torrey Pines Golf Course.
The Farmers Insurance coverage Open makes use of each programs at Torrey Pines within the neighborhood of La Jolla. Each participant within the area will play a spherical at each the North Course and the South Course; after the 36-hole lower, the famed South Course would be the setting for the weekend rounds.
The PGA Tour can also be maintaining the match as a Wednesday via Saturday affair to purpose for some Saturday primetime fireworks for the ultimate spherical — whereas avoiding a matchup towards the AFC and NFC championship video games on Sunday.
Pavon, 32, shot a 13-under-par 275 right here final 12 months, beating Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard by a single shot.
“No offense to simpler golf course, however I am not like an enormous fan when a course will get between 20 and 30 below,” Pavon mentioned Tuesday. “I feel it relates an excessive amount of to the putter. Right here it is actually a ball-striking golf course and I wish to see how intense and well-committed to the pictures you need to be if you wish to play nice. I feel that is why I form of fell in love with Torrey the primary time I performed it.”
Pavon had performed totally on the DP World Tour earlier than incomes a card within the States for the primary time. After his maiden victory, he was in rivalry the very subsequent week on the AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am and completed third in a rain-shortened occasion. He added a fifth-place end on the U.S. Open.
“I feel the second 12 months is at all times form of the affirmation 12 months,” Pavon mentioned. “That was an important rookie one, however now it is time to verify, it is time to present up once more and attempt to win tournaments.
“It is a reasonably large 12 months for me as a result of it is also a Ryder Cup 12 months. That is one in every of my targets I have been chasing since I am a child.”
He’ll be up towards a area this week that options 5 top-20 gamers, led by World No. 4 and FedEx Cup chief Hideki Matsuyama of Japan. Different massive names exterior that prime 20 embrace Tony Finau, Eire’s Shane Lowry, Australia’s Jason Day and Max Homa.
A California native, Homa received the Farmers in 2023 however is coming off an underwhelming 2024 season. Day, in the meantime, captured this match in 2015 and 2018 throughout the prime of his profession.
“I am very loyal to this space, I am very loyal to this golf match,” Day mentioned. “I like this space, I like the folks right here. I additionally love the golf match and I like the golf course. It is one thing that has been — I’ve had a variety of good recollections right here in order that’s why I am very loyal to this place.”
One other title to observe this week might be Charley Hoffman, 48, who tied for fifth final week at The American Categorical and got here near successful his first match since 2016. Hoffman is a San Diego native who tied for ninth at this occasion as lately as 2020.
“(San Diego’s Phil Mickelson is) now not taking part in the PGA Tour. He was the man and I at all times seemed as much as him and he at all times supported the hometown occasion,” Hoffman mentioned. “Now I am kind of the older man and hopefully we get the city out right here supporting me and placed on a present for them.”
–Discipline Stage Media