The Farmers Insurance Open is back at Torrey Pines this week, and San Diego fans have been provided with more excitement at their professional tournaments in the last decade or so than perhaps at any other course in the country. Good for San Diego-ans though, because they clearly have it pretty tough out there:

In their defense, they did have to sit through 6 years of Norv Turner, and have a baseball ballpark where hitter’s careers go to die. But once a year the Farmer’s comes around, and there is almost always drama on the finishing hole at Torrey Pines, a true risk/reward par 5 that separates the NLU favorites from the pretenders.

2008 US Open

Before we get to the putt heard round the world, there was this from the 3rd round of the 2008 U.S. Open. A winding 30 footer for eagle to take the lead going into Sunday:

Watch the replays here, and listen to this crowd. I’ve never heard a crowd sound so loud through the television:

Then of course came Sunday. The Big Cat draining this 12 footer to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate:

(I’m pretty sure Ahmad Rashad has confiscated every possible good clip of this off youtube, and keeps it for himself, watching it nightly before going to bed.)

2011 Farmers Insurance Open

The shot that almost was. Trailing Bubba Watson by 2 on the 18th on Sunday at the 2011 Farmers, Lefty memorably had Bones tend the flag from 72 yards away.

Have to love the FIGJAM quote from Phil in the video: “I’m trying to fly it in, and if it doesn’t fly in, it’s gonna skip, and I want to try to bring it back in. So when I get a wedge shot at 72 yards, I can usually fly it within a yard 95% of the time.” 95% of the time he can fly it within a yard!? Reminds me of one of my favorite Phil stories (tweet from Colt Knost):

I told Phil one day he’s pretty good with his wedges, he replied “no, I’m really f’ing good with them” #legend #usopen

2012 Farmers

This is a tough one for us, as NLU favorite Kyle Stanley lost a 3 shot lead on the final hole when his wedge shot that appeared perfect, freakishly backspun into the water (1:00 mark):

Stanley went on to lose in the playoff, yet miraculously redeemed himself a week later at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, coming from 8 shots behind in the final round to notch his first PGA Tour win.

Here’s to hoping that this Sunday we don’t see Stew Cink laying up and two putting to win.