THIS WEEKEND AT “FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN”  

CBS Sports tees off the 2014 golf seasonthis weekend at the FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN on Saturday, Jan. 25 (3:00-6:00 PM, ET) and Sunday, Jan. 26 (3:00-6:30 PM, ET), live from the South Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, Calif.  

Beginning this weekend at the Farmers Insurance Open, and for all 20 PGA TOUR events this year, CBS Sports’ PGA TOUR coverage will be streamed live on CBSSports.com and PGATOUR.com.  The live streaming coverage also will be available on the CBS Sports app for the iPhone, iPad and Android.

Jim Nantz, now in his 29th year overall covering golf for CBS Sports,serves as anchor for the Networks’ golf coverage.  SirNick Faldo, winner of six majors and more than 40 tournaments worldwide, returns for his seventh year as lead analyst alongside Nantz in the 18th tower at Torrey Pines.  Ian Baker-Finch calls the action from the 17th; Gary McCord the 16th;and David Feherty and Peter Kostis serve as on-course reporters.

Lance Barrow is Coordinating Producer and lead producer, and Steve Milton is Director of CBS Sports’ golf coverage.  Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

Following are excerpts from the 2014 GOLF on CBS Conference Call on Wednesday, Jan. 22.  For complete playback:  719/457-0820; passcode: 9676988     

(On Emergence of Jordan Spieth)

FALDO: You’ve got college kids watching and being inspired by a player. I mean Jordan is just on a very good roll. He’s very focused. That’s his key attribute for me. When you’re running that well you’re seeing things clearly and reacting to them clearly or positively. He’s fully committed. So he’s doing that and being rewarded right now. Young kids playing great and trying to beat other young kids is good for us.

NANTZ: I’m just amazed at what Jordan accomplished last year. He is 20 now but last year what he did at the age of 19, I think was completely underplayed by all of us in the media who cover golf.  What he accomplished at 19 truly is the best performance by a 19-year-old that we’ve seen in the modern era of golf. I don’t know why it just kind of came ho-hum to a lot of people. I don’t know why the reaction wasn’t met with more amazement. But Jordan Spieth is just what we needed in this game. We need over here the next great young, American star. This guy has tremendous game. And I can’t wait to see how his 2014 season is going to unfold.

(On Adam Scott)

NANTZ:  He’s coming off a spectacular major championship series in 2013. I think he’s really right now in that sweet spot of his career where more majors are coming. He had the breakthrough win at Augusta. Then he had two other close brushes. His whole game now, his whole schedule is geared up toward major championships. We know Tiger has been kind of setting his schedule like that since he turned pro, but I think Adam Scott now really gets it. I would think Adam Scott would be the most likely to win a major in 2014.

(On Phil Mickelson eventually winning career grand slam)

FALDO:  Motivation is probably the most important thing in your 40s.

NANTZ: He has to approach it by trying to take a little pressure away. He can’t think of it as a one-shot deal. I don’t care that he’s in his 40s now. I think he’s got to look at it and say, ‘Hey I’ve got five or six really good years to make a run at this thing.’ I think he’s going to get it one day. I really do.  If I had to pick a spot, it’s going to sound a little crazy; I think it will be in 2019. It will be at Pebble Beach. At that point, he always has his birthday during the week of the U.S. Open.  He’s coming to a place where he’s always played exceptionally well. It’s not going to get too long for him, even though his length probably won’t be an issue. He’s still got tremendous length, and I don’t think he’s going to lose that much of it in the next five years.

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