Poway High grad Charley Hoffman back ‘home’ for Farmers Open

Every year the PGA Tour makes its annual stop at the Torrey Pines Golf Course has become a ritual for former Poway High standout Charley Hoffman.

The name of the tournament has changed a few times over the years, but when the $6.9 million Farmers Insurance Open gets under way next week, Hoffman will be there.

More than just a chance to stay in the family’s new home in Rancho Santa Fe, Hoffman never misses a chance to come home.

“I’ve played it all 13 years since I joined the tour,’’ the 41-year-old Hoffman said by phone. “I’ve played two or three times with exemptions, twice as an amateur and a handful times at Poway.

“Things have never gone well for me with the North course. The South course is more my game - bigger, longer. I struggle with the North greens, although last year’s North greens were great. (Tom) Weiskopf did a great job redesigning the greens.’’

Hoffman, the first golfer to win back-to-back CIF State titles (1994 and 1995) while he was at Poway, embraces the hectic pre-tournament schedule of practice rounds, pro-am and visiting with family and friends.

There’s also extra media around. And the Charley Hoffman Foundation requires a few moments of his time while he’s in town.

Once play begins with next Thursday’s opening round, the week slows down to just golf for the father of two children.

Though Hoffman‘s best finish at Torrey Pines was seventh-place, he’d never miss it.

“I’ve never been in contention the last day at Torrey,’’ Hoffman offered. “Of all the courses, that’s the one I would definitely want to be in contention down the stretch. I used to watch a bunch of good guys like Craig Stadler do that out there and I’d love to do it once.’’

Hoffman’s foundation was established to raise money for San Diego Jr. Golf, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Pro Kids Golf, a program that allows inner city children to have a safe place to further their school work and gain an introduction to golf on a par-3 course.

Thus far, the foundation has donated more than $1 million.

After the mass shooting in Las Vegas on Oct. 1, Hoffman, who helped Nevada-Las Vegas win the NCAA title in 1998, donated money to help the more than 600 victims who were wounded or killed.

For the last seven years, Hoffman and wife Stacy, who were married in 2009, traveled around to tour sites. Now that oldest daughter Claire is in second grade, travel has been curtailed to just summer months.

“Traveling around and living out of a suitcase is all we knew,’’ Hoffman said. “You don’t see much of the city when you’re there for a tournament event. It’s just go to the course and back to the hotel.

“Back when this all started it was tougher to get around, but the younger guys all have GPS and it’s easier to get from one site to the next one.

“You had to plan your week, know where your hotel is, get your maps, all those things people don’t know about when they watch the final round on Sunday on TV.’’

Hoffman has four tournament victories to his credit in his career - the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic (2007), Deutsche Bank Championship (2010), OHL Classic (2015) and the Valero Texas Open (2016).

Hoffman played for longtime coach Bob Champion at Poway when the desire to fashion a golf career first sprouted.

He has stayed in contact with a few former Titans’ teammates.

It was when he was 16 and qualified as an amateur for the first of his three Buick Opens as a Titan, one of the previous tournament names at Torrey Pines, that it finally dawned on Hoffman that a golfing career was possible.

“It became real,’’ said Hoffman, who estimates he’s on the road for around 32 weeks a year. “I thought I could do this, play golf, travel around the country and around the world.

“There were times when I didn’t think I’d get here. There’s not much money on the mini-tours or Q-School. You don’t stay at any beachfront hotels.

“It didn’t take as long to get here as it felt.’’