TORREY PINES – When the Farmers Insurance Open kicks off on Thursday, one PGA Tour golfer who’s been integral to the Torrey Pines golf scene for more than a decade-and-a-half will be missing: top 50-ranked player Michael Kim.
Kim, who’s one of a handful of golfers with San Diego roots that was expected to play in the Farmers Open, announced on Monday that he was bowing out of the event due to injury.
“I’ve been dealing with a back strain these last few weeks and was hoping it would improve, but it hasn’t,” he said in a post to social media. “I’m taking a week off to get healthy for the next stretch.
“Really disappointing to miss my hometown event,” the statement continued. “I’ll be back next year.”
Kim, 32, has a deep connection to the area. Although born in South Korea, he grew up in Del Mar and attended Torrey Pines High School about 15 years ago. He frequently played Torrey Pines Golf Course’s north course while growing up.
Before graduating from Torrey Pines High in 2011, Kim led his prep team to the state title in his senior season, plus won the Southern California golf crown in each of his final three high school campaigns. And as a freshman, he competed in the CIF state championship tournament.
After high school, Kim attended the University of California at Berkeley, and during his collegiate career, he became the Golden Bears’ first national player of the year in men’s collegiate golf. In December 2013, after just two years in college, Kim turned pro.
He joined the PGA Tour in 2016, and over the past decade has earned more than $11 million in tour winnings.
Last September, he won his first major international tournament, the 2025 FedEx Open de France golf tournament in Paris. His other major tournament win was the John Deere Classic in 2018.
Despite his absence from the Farmers Open, the San Diego regional will still be represented by homegrown talent at the event, thanks in part to native Xander Schauffele. Schauffele, 32, is the PGA Tour’s No. 4-ranked golfer, as well as a Scripps Ranch native and San Diego State graduate.
He missed last year’s Farmers Open due to injury after having played the event every year since 2016, but has had three top-15 finishes at Torrey since 2021. He had a breakout year in 2024, winning both The Open Championship and the PGA Championship.
Also expected to play is Charley Hoffman, a Poway High School graduate. The 49-year-old will be playing in his hometown tournament for the 28th year. Hoffman, a four-time PGA Tour winner, previously captured the Valero Texas Open in 2016, the OHL Classic in 2014, the Deutsche Bank Classic in 2010, and the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in 2007.
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