The 1993 Buick Invitational of California is best remembered as the first of Phil Mickelson’s three PGA Tour victories in his hometown.
But that tournament also marked a first for another native San Diegan 6 1/2 years Mickelson’s junior — Charley Hoffman, then a 16-year-old sophomore at Poway High School.
Mickelson hasn’t played in what’s now known as the Farmers Insurance Open in several years, but Hoffman is a regular, participating this year for the 28th time — five weeks after his 49th birthday.
His age means when the next PGA Tour season begins, Hoffman would be eligible for the PGA Champions Tour. But the Rancho Santa Fe resident is not playing this year with an eye on that.
“I want to stay” on the PGA Tour, Hoffman said after a 1-under 71 on the North Course. “Like I tell people, I still hit it plenty long, I still hit it good enough to compete out here. Ideally, I’d play out here for a couple more years, if my body feels good. If I don’t, I have a great, I would say, plan to go to the Champions Tour and play out there.”
Hoffman is playing this season on a major medical extension after missing the final six months of 2025 following summer surgery to remove a benign limpoma from the back of his right shoulder. He said he feels “great” and there was one bonus to not playing for an extended period.
“I never had six months off in my life,” he said, “and as I tell people, it was nice to spend a summer in San Diego instead of on the road.”
Hoffman on Monday hosted a charity golf event that he said brought in more than $500,000; he has raised more than $5 million over the last 18 years.
It’s no surprise Hoffman would like to see Torrey Pines continue to host a PGA Tour stop, even though this is the final year for Farmers as the sponsor.
“It’s an iconic golf course,” he said. “I could pick a better date than the end of January to play this tournament here. I mean, if I were to start over, I’d have it in the middle of the summer in a playoff event. But that’s for the higher-ups to figure out.
“I don’t think this tournament’s going anywhere. … I think the tour’s gonna work hard to have some sort of tournament here; the date could change, maybe not next year, but in the future. … But really, I’d be shocked to see this golf tournament go away.”
Locals watch
Hoffman was low San Diegan for the day, but among the regular PGA Tour players from here, he was the only one on the North Course, which played a whopping 3.34 shots easier than the South (69.14 average to 72.48).
Xander Schauffele was 3-over through seven holes but rebounded to shoot a 1-over 73; playing partner and fellow San Diego State alum J.J. Spaun was even through eight but shot 3-over 75, and the third Aztec in the field, Justin Hastings, birdied the last hole to tie Schauffele.
Coronado club pro Mark Geddes, like Hastings playing in his first Farmers, finished with a 76 on the North.
Defending champs
Harris English and Ludvig Aberg joked Wednesday that they were both defending champions, since English won last year’s Farmers and Aberg captured the Genesis Invitational, which was played here in February due to the fires in Pacific Palisades.
It’s unlikely either will be holding a trophy this weekend.
Aberg finished tied for the worst score in the 147-man field at 6-over 78 on South Course — and that was after making birdies at 17 and 18. English was five shots better on the same course, but he’s still far shots behind Justin Rose, who shot 62 on North.
In the last 50 years, only Tiger Woods, with four straight wins from 2005-08, and Mickelson (2000-01) have repeated as champions here.
Rare ace
A six-year spell of at least one hole-in-one at the Farmers was snapped last year, but it didn’t take long for Tony Finau to ensure the streak would not reach seven.
Playing the 215-yard 16th, Finau hit an iron that bounced on the green about 15 feet short of the hole, took a couple bounces and rolled into the hole. It was just the third ace in competition on that hole, and the fourth of Finau’s career. He shot a 72 on the day.
Stats corner
Another par-3 hole, No. 11, was the hardest hole on the South Course, with a 3.427 average. The par-4 fourth was next at 4.280, followed by the par-4 12th at 4.253.
The easiest hole on South was No. 6, a par-5 that averaged 4.467. The par-5 closing holes on each nine were next, with No. 18 at 4.493 and No. 9 at 4.720.
On the North, the hardest hole was the par-4 18th at 4.194; the easiest was the par-5 fifth at 4.361.
