SAN DIEGO — Justin Rose posted a fair higher rating on the notorious South Course on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open on Friday, and the proof is within the event report books. He broke his personal 36-hole report by two strokes at Torrey Pines and constructed a four-stroke lead.
This weekend, Brooks Koepka is scheduled to return to the PGA Tour after 4 seasons within the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League. The five-time main champion continued to be stumped by the greens at Poa Anua, and settled on a 68 in North, the place the numbers have been simpler to come back by.
Two-time main champion and San Diego native Xander Schauffele might be absent, ending his streak of 72 consecutive event appearances. The final weekend he missed a event was the 2022 Masters.
He was 14 strokes behind Koepka. The query is, will somebody be capable to seize Rose?
Rose opened with 62 RBIs for North, which was 7.139 RBIs lower than the sphere common. He knew what awaited him on the South Course, which hosted two U.S. Opens, and completed with a 7-under 65, 7.392 strokes under the sphere common.
This introduced his whole to 17 underneath par, 127, breaking two information beforehand held by Rose in 2019, Tom Lehman in 2005, and Lenny Clements in 1996, and placing him 4 photographs behind Seamus Energy (Eire) who shot a 66 within the North.
Amazingly, it was the identical rating as American Specific’ 36-hole lead final week. Golf on the PGA Tour in Palm Springs and San Diego are nothing alike. Rose is taking part in very nicely.
Joel Dahmen, who has two programs at Torrey Pines and a wider area than normal, posted a three-eagle spherical of 63 at North and tied for third with Max McGreevy (North 67), six strokes again.
Rose stated Friday he is aware of he faces a fair harder check. He may determine it out simply by trying on the leaderboard and seeing North Course (North Carolina) listed subsequent to so many names.
“I did not actually give it some thought, however I noticed the numbers on the leaderboard: ‘NC, NC, NC, NC, NC, NC, NC,’ so by means of elimination I form of knew what I used to be up towards in the present day,” he stated.
“In a approach, I used to be utilizing it as further persistence. Clearly I used to be already at 10 underneath,” he stated. “It is a powerful state of affairs when you do not have an ideal day up north and you need to go rating within the south. So we had the additional benefit of taking part in within the south the place we thought we may play with the best mindset. It is a tribute in a approach.”
He discovered his groove early with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 third, adopted by a tricky 10-foot par on the fourth. He was his traces. He watched the ball go in. It gave him a way of freedom and he took off.
Rose hit a protracted iron pin-high for 8 ft for eagle on the par-5 sixth, closed out the again 9 with two birdies, and by no means let up.
The minimize fell at 3-under 141.
“I will inform you, it is nice golf,” stated Energy, who closed out his spherical at North with a protracted eagle putt. “You possibly can shoot two underneath right here and play fairly nicely. It is only a excessive normal.”
Koepka obtained one other heat welcome on a day with among the greatest climate the San Diego coast can supply, with heat sunshine, blue skies and extra substandard purple numbers than Torrey normally will get.
Koepka wanted a greater spherical and received off to a powerful begin with a 12-foot eagle off a mid-iron on the par-5 eighth gap. He birdied the par-5 fifth gap and took benefit of the quick par-4 seventh gap to catch his breath.
He isn’t taking part in to earn a spot. However he needed to proceed taking part in.
“I feel yesterday I used to be excited to play. I used to be nervous and did not know what to anticipate, however I feel in the present day felt extra regular,” Koepka stated. “Do not get me flawed, I am positively nonetheless feeling anxious. I am in all probability a little bit nervous simply attempting to determine it out and see the place my sport is, proper? I really feel like I am taking part in rather well. I simply had a protracted break.”
Schauffele had gained his solely event in Japan within the fall, as he needed to be residence together with his son, who was born about 5 months earlier. He had a bogey on the quick par-4 seventh on the north facet after some odd bounces and a nasty lie, however on the ultimate gap, the par-5 ninth, he nearly hit the again pin with a really tough shot behind the inexperienced. He began the weekend by lacking a birdie putt from 8 ft.
Scottie Scheffler presently holds the report for the longest energetic minimize streak with 65, which remains to be lower than midway to Tiger Woods’ report of 142.
