Farmers Insurance Open: Harris English Wins Fifth US PGA Tour Title

Sam Stevens kept the pressure on with a clutch par save at the 18th hole, finishing tied for second at the Farmers Insurance Open.

Harris English secured his fifth US PGA Tour title at the Farmers Insurance Open, held at the challenging Torrey Pines South Course. English carded a gritty one-over-par 73 on Saturday, claiming victory by a single stroke with an eight-under-par total of 280. His win marked the end of a US PGA Tour title drought spanning over three years.

English demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of adversity, conquering his emotions and the cold, blustery conditions on the scenic Southern California course. He parred the last 12 holes, showcasing his determination and focus. In a post-match interview, English's voice broke with emotion as he said, “I've been doing this for 14 years and it never gets any easier. It's hard to win. I might have looked calm out there on the course, but inside your emotions are going crazy.”

English began the day with a one-shot lead but initially struggled, dropping two strokes with bogeys at the first and fifth holes. However, he regained his composure and a stroke with his lone birdie of the day at the sixth hole. English then dug deep, relying on his mental toughness to secure the win. He reflected on his approach, saying, “I enjoy the grind of it. I feel like I did that ... I played to the right spots and I just kept plugging along.”

English's final four holes epitomized his determination, as he made a par save at the 15th, followed by two-putt pars from the fringe at the 16th and from 55 and 24 feet at the last two holes. Sam Stevens posed a strong challenge, carding a four-under-par 68, the low round of the day. Stevens climbed the leaderboard with four birdies on the front nine and rebounded from a bogey at 13 with a five-foot birdie at the 17th, ultimately finishing one stroke behind English.

A winner at Torrey Pines 🏆@Harris_English earns his fifth TOUR title @FarmersInsOpen! pic.twitter.com/4AAJ1KykU3

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 26, 2025

Stevens Keeps the Pressure On

Sam Stevens maintained the pressure on the leaders with a clutch par save at the 18th hole. After splashing his second shot into the pond at the left front of the green, Stevens fired his fourth shot at the pin and made a four-foot par putt. This impressive recovery ensured he walked off the course with a seven-under total of 281, tied with Andrew Novak and just one shot behind Harris English. Reflecting on his par save, Stevens said, “That was big, post a number and make those guys at least earn it coming down the stretch. Glad I got up and down there.”

1,308 days in between victories.@Harris_English is back in the winner’s circle 👏 pic.twitter.com/AdEd76Am4U

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 26, 2025

Andrew Novak, playing in the last group, briefly took the lead during a dramatic front nine that featured four bogeys, four birdies, and just one par. However, he dropped back with bogeys at the 10th and 15th holes, ultimately carding a two-over-par 74 to finish solo third on 282. Novak described his chaotic front nine, saying, “It was just chaos early.” He acknowledged the unpredictability of his game, particularly with his stunning 54-footer at the fifth hole, commenting, “That putt on five, I could hit that a hundred times and not even sniff the hole again, just crazy.”

Novak's rollercoaster front nine eventually gave way to a more settled back nine, but he struggled to capitalize on birdie opportunities. He reflected on his overall performance, saying, “It was just a rollercoaster on that front nine. Finally got it settled in on the back, but just wasn’t hanging approach shots close enough to give myself birdie opportunities.” Despite the ups and downs, Novak's solo third finish marked a respectable outcome in a tightly contested tournament.