(Tiger Woods to start 2014 at Torrey Pines)

Get ready for San Diego’s own leg of the PGA Tour, the Farmers Insurance Open! This invariably exciting stop on the circuit takes place January 23-26 this year at the stunning Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla—an easy and beautiful drive from the Sofia Hotel.

Any fan of the fairway—and of Southern California’s glorious scenery and weather—will want to be there for the proceedings. Some of the biggest names in golf will be squaring off on the magnificent grounds of Torrey Pine, named for that evocative conifer native only to this special stretch of coastline.

The Tournament

The Farmers Insurance Open has been running strong since 1952, and it’s been held at Torrey Pines since 1968.

Among this year’s “Early Commitment” players (they have until January 17 to make a final call on participation) is Tiger Woods, a legendary name in golf and at the Farmers Insurance Open. He shares the tournament’s record score of 266 with George Burns—Woods clinched it in 1999, Burns in 1987—and has won more times than any other player, having come in first on a whopping seven occasions.

Woods is again this year’s defending champion, but plenty of other worthy contenders will likely be in the mix. Another absolute icon on the “Early Commitments” roster is Phil Mickelson, a San Diego native and a much-decorated golfer. He’s not alone as a local star, either: Michael Kim, a young champion, calls our fair city home as well.

As a spectator at the Farmers Insurance Open, you can either stake a spot “Parade Style” and let the action flow past you, or track one player or group “Cross-Country Style.”

Either way, you’re guaranteed a good time: Aside from all the action on the green, there’s a host of other attractions, including plenty of places to wet your whistle—from the Grey Goose Lounge to the Beringer Wine Bar. You can also pick up a club yourself at the Farmers Smash Course or memorialize your attendance at the Farmers Photo Booth.

Golf and the Sofia—A Match Made in Heaven

All the fun and drama of the Farmers Insurance Open is easily accessible from the Sofia Hotel, just 15 miles south of the Torrey Pines Golf Course. Ensure yourself a beautiful and comfortable downtown room in the historic Sofia: You’ll have the best digs of anyone attending the tournament!

Image: Keith Allison