Week 3 of the 2026 PGA Tour season takes us to spectacular Torrey Pines in California for the Farmers Insurance Open.
Those who kept faith with Scottie Scheffler and were prepared to pay the big bucks were rewarded at last week’s American Express as the World No.1 cruised to a four-shot win.
The top four in the FanTeam £10 game picked Scheffler as captain but three of the top 10 on the leaderboard didn’t have him at all so, as always, there are different routes to profit.
All those top 10 scored heavily with their UD (Underdog) to highlight how important the skipper and the cheapest player are on your teams as both score x1.25pts.
So, on to Torrey Pines and three laps of the ultra-tough South Course and one at the easier North.
First up, let’s start with a SPECIAL OFFER below!
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Top Tier Picks (18M and over)
Jason Day (19.2M): With new irons in the bag, Day started his 2026 season off with a bang by finishing tied second in last week’s American Express. Now he gets to ride that momentum at Torrey Pines where he’s a two-time Farmers winner and can boast seven top 10s in all. The Aussie, who ranked 1st for both SG: Putting and SG: Around The Green last week, has four top 10s and a 13th in his last seven starts in California.
Patrick Cantlay (20.6M): He’s not exactly cheap but Cantlay in California equates to high-class consistency. The man from Long Beach always seems to show up strongly in his home state and the latest evidence is three top fives in his last six California starts. That includes fifth at this course when it stepped in to host last year’s Genesis Invitational after Riviera was deemed unplayable due to the fires in LA. Cantlay’s 13th spot in last week’s American Express looks a nice marker.
Others to consider: Xander Schauffele (21M) was born just a few miles from the course and the San Diego native has finishes of 9-13-34-7-2 at Torrey Pines South. The only doubt is a bit of rust given that we haven’t seen him on tour since his win at October’s Baycurrent Classic in Japan. Ludvig Aberg (20.8M) comes with some risk after he pulled out of the American Express (68-67) with illness. Then again, he also suffered sickness at this event last year but returned a couple of weeks later to win the Genesis at Torrey. He’s a perfect course fit if healthy. Harris English (18.2M) scooped the first prize here last year in tough conditions having previously had a second and a third at Torrey Pines. He started his 2026 campaign with 27th at The American Express, ranking 7th for Off The Tee.
Mid-Range Value Selections (14.2M up to 18M)
Jake Knapp (16.4M) is another California local and says Torrey Pines South is one of his favourite courses. He’s backed that up with results having finished third here in 2024 and 17th when it hosted last year’s Genesis. The big hitter started 2026 brightly with 11th at the Sony Open, ranking 10th for SG: Putting.
Taylor Pendrith (17.4M) likes a big boy golf course and he’s shown that here with top 10s in the the last two editions of the Farmers. The Canadian, who has cracked the top 10 in four of his last six starts in California, started his season off with sixth at the Sony Open before missing the cut last week. This test is far more suited than the easy birdie-fest at La Quinta.
Others to consider: Will Zalatoris (17.6M) showed he’s in better health again with 15th in December’s Nedbank (DP World Tour) and 18th at last week’s American Express. He has a second, seventh and 13th in three of his last four Farmers starts. Max Homa (16.6M) won this tournament in 2023 (also 9th 2020, 18th 2021 and 13th last year) while 27th at the American Express added to three top 20s in his previous four starts and further fuels the idea that he’s very much on the up again. Sam Stevens (15.6M) was your runner-up here last year and is 4-for-4 at Torrey Pines. He boasts a sixth (American Express) and a seventh (RSM Classic) in two of his last three starts on tour. Between 14M and 15M, there are three I like. Sahith Theegala (14.8M) was eighth last week after 31st at the Sony and has a fourth here (made all four Farmers cuts). Andrew Novak (14.4M) putts well on Poa Annua and was third and 13th in the two events at Torrey Pines last year. He much prefers this test to last week’s where he missed the cut for the fifth straight time (his 36-hole total was actually his lowest ever) while fit-again Billy Horschel (14.2M) closed the AmEx with a 66 for 27th and has two top eights and an 11th at the Farmers.
Underdog Options (14M and Under)
David Ford (13.4M): The 23-year-old is in my Season Game team as a bench warmer but I may start him here with Anthony Kim pulling out with a back issue. Ford, who enjoyed a stellar amateur career, flashed his vast potential with third at October’s Bank of Utah Championship and he’s 2-for-2 this season with 50th at the Sony Open followed by 13th in the American Express.
S.H. Kim (14M) has started the new year the way he ended the last one – racking up top 20s. He’s now had seven in a row worldwide after 13th at the Sony and 18th at the Amex. The Korean has made two of three cuts here which adds a layer of extra confidence.
Others to consider: Tony Finau (14M) is a fascinating prospect this week. With seven top 10s at Torrey between 2017 and 2025, he’s an absolute bargain but where is his game now? Two MCs so far in 2026 are a worry but 68-68-71 at the American Express was hardly a crime. Sami Valimaki (13.6M) got hot at the end of 2025 with a win at the RSM Classic and a second two starts earlier at the WWT. His course form here of 15th (2025) and 43rd (2024) counts for more than his MC last week where he actually shot all three rounds under par. Austin Smotherman (13.8M) ranked 1st for both SG: Tee To Green and SG: Approach when eighth at The American Express. He was 11th here in 2024 and has top 10s in his last two California starts. Johnny Keefer (14M) has PGA Tour form of 27-61-7 either side of the festive break and the rising star struck his irons superbly well at the American Express (4th Approach). Adrien Dumont De Chassart (14M) was a Korn Ferry winner in October and has made both cuts in 2026 (24th Sony, 69th American Express). He cashed here on his only visit in 2024.
That’s this week in the books from a fantasy perspective.
But while I’m here, I’ll point you towards the revamped and much-boosted FanTeam Sportsbook.
Let’s have a couple of bets too.
I didn’t mention Patrick Rodgers (14.4M) above as I was saving him for a little mention here. He’s definitely a fantasy option too though.
The Stanford star has three top sevens in his last five starts and two of his top 10s at Torrey have come recently – third in last year’s Genesis and ninth in the 2024 Farmers.
Let’s back him for a Top 10 at 5.8.
Second tip is Taylor Pendrith for Top Canadian at 2.06. Getting odds-against seems fine given that he only has Mackenzie Hughes, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Adam Svensson and AJ Ewart to beat.
Hughes is the only one to have made a cut here but his Farmers form is poor: 64-MC-MC-MC-29-MC-54.
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