The PGA Tour has eight tournaments in the books for the 2013-2014 season. With his win at the Frys.com last fall and another at the Sony Open last week, Jimmy Walker became the first multiple winner on tour this year.
The tour now leaves the swaying palm trees and warm Pacific breezes for the southern California desert and the start of the annual West Coast Swing.
The tour has started its season on the west coast since the late 1930’s when Sam Snead, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson dominated the fairways at Pebble Beach, Riviera and Palm Springs.
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson both normally decide to come out of hibernation and make their season debuts on the west coast every year.
The Humana Challenge in Partnership with the Clinton Foundation
The first stop is PGA West in La Quinta, California for the Humana Challenge in Partnership with the Clinton Foundation.
This event has a wonderful history with Arnold Palmer winning the first Palm Springs Desert Classic in 1960. Palmer won this event five times between 1960 and 1973.
In 1965 the tournament became the Bob Hope Desert Classic and Hope’s name was on the marquee for 46 years until Humana became the lead sponsor in 2012.
The Humana Challenge will offer a $5.7 million purse with $1.026 going to the winner. It is played over three courses, La Quinta Country Club, the Nicklaus Private and the Palmer Private, which is the host course.
Brian Gay earned his fourth career PGA Tour victory last year at the Humana Challenge and will defend his title this year.
The final round will be played Sunday on the 6,950 yard par-72 Palmer Private course.
The Farmers Insurance Open
The Famers Insurance Open held at historic Torrey Pines is the second tournament on the west coast swing. Tiger Woods normally makes his maiden start on the PGA Tour here every year and is the defending champion.
To say that Torrey Pines is one of Woods’ favorite courses is a gross understatement. In addition to winning the Farmers Insurance Open seven times in his career, he also won the 2008 U.S. Open on this same golf course.
Because Woods and Phil Mickelson are in the field, it is annually one of the strongest fields on tour.
Torrey Pines is a strong par-72 at 7,568 yards. It will test the games of the best players in the world. It offers a $6.1 million purse with $1.098 to the winner.
Waste Management Phoenix Open
The tour slips over to Arizona for the Waste Management Phoenix Open and it is normally held the same week as the Super Bowl.
Competition for television time with the Super Bowl has required the Waste Management Phoenix Open to become creative with its marketing and annually bills itself as “the Greatest Show on Grass.” It is the largest tournament on the PGA Tour and draws in excess of 500,000 fans over the four days.
The par-3 No. 16 is converted into a stadium and a raucous and rowdy atmosphere prevails at that hole each year. Players are routinely booed for missing the green or a birdie putt.
Phil Mickelson won the 2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open and will defend that title this year.
AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
The tour then heads back to northern California for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. It boasts a $6.6 million purse with $1.1 million to the winner.
Brandt Snedeker capped off his string of runners-up finishes to Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson last year by winning at Pebble Beach.
This tournament began as the Bing Crosby Clambake in 1937. Snead won three of the first five Clambakes and won his fourth in 1950. Mark O’Meara holds the record as a five time winner at Pebble Beach.
Bing Crosby’s name was associated with this event until 1986 when economics demanded the tournament pick up a corporate sponsor to cover expenses.
It is played over three iconic golf courses on the majestic Monterey Peninsula, Spyglass Hill, Monterey Peninsula Country Club and Pebble Beach Golf Club as the host course.
Northern Trust Open
The final stop in the west coast swing is the Northern Trust Open at famed Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. It has been held since 1926 and has a great history.
Ben Hogan won the L.A. Open three times at Riviera and also won the 1948 U.S. Open Championship, which was held here. Arnold Palmer won this tournament on three occasions and Sam Snead won here twice.
It is a classic old golf course with tight fairways and small greens. Quality shot making and a solid short game is required to be among the leaders. Poa annua greens can get lumpy and putting can become an iffy proposition.
The Northern Trust offers the largest purse of the five events on the west coast swing. A total of $6.7 million will be divided by the players with $1.1 million going to the winner.
Once the PGA Tour leaves the west coast it stops in Arizona for the WGC-Accenture Match Play and then heads to Florida for the run-up to the Masters.