Farmers Insurance Open Teeing Off With Notable Absences In Field

The PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open begins today at Torrey Pines, and there are "a couple of notable absences" in the field, with the "most high-profile miss" being Jordan Spieth. The tournament has five of the top 10 golfers in the world rankings on hand, but Tiger Woods is out with an injury, and '11 champion Bubba Watson is skipping the event "for a second straight year" to "make 'celebrity' appearances this week" at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/26).

Meanwhile, a new ad "aims to brand the PGA Tour event as much for its fun as the fame of its players." There are "no images" of golfers in the field such as Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson or Patrick Reed. Instead, the spot "promotes music, social media experiences and drinks underneath shimmering California sunsets" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/26).