The first rays of dawn Friday at the Farmers Insurance Open illuminated a PGA Tour leaderboard sorely in need of rescue.

These things can be as subjective, of course, as thoughts on a Jackson Pollock painting. One set of eyes sees a parade of relative no-names, while another sees a refreshing sea of opportunity.

There was no doubt, however, that the heady days of Tiger, Phil, Justin Rose, Patrick Reed and Jon Rahm felt hazy and ancient among the blur of those at the top.

“There’s still big names out here,” said amateur Luke Clanton, with the perspective of a newcomer looking up. “The younger guys are the future of golf.”

The bio of co-leader Andrew Novak, who shares the 54-hold lead at 6-under with Harris English, lists among interesting things about the 130th-ranked player in the world that he won an intramural basketball title at Wofford College.

K.H. Lee, 160th in the world and in fourth place at Torrey Pines, took singing lessons in South Korea and considered it as a career.

Wesley Brian — 224th in the world and tied for eighth at Torrey — is obsessed with Justin Bieber. World No. 205 Chris Gotterup, tied for 15th at Torrey and in the mix throughout the day, is a former lacrosse player.

At 2:20 p.m. Friday, only one player among the top 17 was ranked better than 75th in the world.

The field includes only three players in the top 12 after No. 2 Xander Schauffele, a two-time major winner, withdrew because of injury and No. 5 Collin Morikawa scratched when tournament week arrived.

There was the same Goodyear blimp. The same Jim Nantz broadcasting for CBS. The same chamber-of-commerce views. The similarities came to a grinding halt after that.

It’s not the leaderboard fans or TV executives dream about.

“It’s exciting being in contention of the PGA Tour,” said 257th-ranked Ricky Castillo, sitting in a knot for eighth, of the door that has been cracked open. “That’s what we all dream about.”

Go ahead and root for the underdogs, but know you’re in the minority. Names draw fans and television eyeballs, adding star power to a sport that thrives on it.

News that the fire-displaced Genesis Invitational will bring Tiger Woods and a field bulging with top-25 players in three weeks only amplified the disparity.

If you’re weighing whether to buy a ticket to the final round of the Farmers on Saturday or any day of the Genesis, where are you parking your money?

Them’s the breaks these days in a golf world with higher-paying “signature events” — the Genesis is one; the Farmers is not — with significantly more leverage.

It’s the hand-your-dealt type of stuff.

Can it change from year to year at a tournament like the Farmers, with its stunning views and elite course setup? Sure, but the recent trendline is not promising.

The reigning champion is Matthieu Pavon, who became the first golfer from France to win on Tour since 1907. Luke List, the 2022 winner, is ranked behind 132 players in the game.

Those in contention, though, care little about the field or how the competitive sausage was made.

“It’s easy to focus on what other people are doing, but on a course like this, you have to focus on every single shot because it’s such a test,” Castillo said of Torrey’s rugged South Course.

“On a track like this that has hosted so many huge tournaments, it’s pretty incredible.”

Leaderboard saviors tried to do their parts.

Eleven-time winner Hideki Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, made a big charge early before settling into a tie for 15th, three strokes back. He shared space with twice-crowned Farmers champ Jason Day, winner of the 2015 PGA Championship.

Another two-time Farmers surfboard owner, Brandt Snedeker, sits two strokes off the pace with a day to play.

The day, however, belonged to those hunting pro golfing traction.

The names on the golf bags mattered little.

“It’s hard to win,” Novak said. “You can play pretty well and still not win.”

A leaderboard jammed with those hunting name recognition is not the best recipe for success. Torrey Pines, however, markets itself as one of the biggest stars at the Farmers.

Tournament officials bank on fans and TV viewers gazing at the ocean and baby-blue sky as much as the tee box.

There’s still time for a big name to step up.

Tiger will be here in three weeks.

Originally Published: January 24, 2025 at 6:57 PM PST