Phil Mickelson to Play at Farmers Insurance Open in La Jolla

LA JOLLA, CA – Fan favorite Phil Mickelson committed to play at the Farmers Insurance Open next month in San Diego, tournament organizers said Thursday.

The San Diego native is a three-time winner of the tournament, which will be played Jan. 26-29 at the Torrey Pines Golf Course.

The event could represent Mickelson's 2017 debut after he underwent a pair of off-season sports hernia surgeries. Multiple reports suggested he might miss the first couple of tournaments of the year.

So far, 15 of the top 50 players in the world golf rankings have made early commitments to the Farmers tournament. They include top-ranked Jason Day, No. 3 Dustin Johnson and No. 6 Hideki Matsuyama.

Mickelson is ranked 19th in the world.

Torrey Pines regular Tiger Woods, who is planning a comeback from a back injury, hasn't said whether he'll play in the Farmers tournament. He has committed to what's now called the Genesis Open in February in Los Angeles.

-By City News Service / Image via Corn Farmer/Flickr