Those disappointed in the stars’ performance to open the $8.7 million Farmers Insurance Open had reason to rejoice Thursday as golfers dealt with blustery conditions yet found ways to rebound.
Jon Rahm, for instance, rocketed up to 14th on the leaderboard at the Torrey Pines Golf Course after a dismal opening round left him among 12 golfers tied for 116th, nine strokes off the lead.
Rahm, ranked No. 3 in the world, despite the poor initial round, now has made the cut in 22 consecutive tournaments, the longest active streak on the PGA Tour.
“What I shot today, man, I’m going to be skipping out of the golf course today because it’s a great round of golf,” he said of his 5-under 67 to the Associated Press.
He is tied with five others at 4-under while Sam Ryder maintained his first-day lead at 12-under. Brendan Steele and Tano Goya trailed Ryder by three and five strokes, respectively.
“I’m just doing everything pretty solid,” Ryder, who has yet to win an event on the PGA Tour, told AP. “It starts off the tee for me, I’m driving it well. My iron play is really good, so I feel like if I put it in the fairway, I can attack.”
Ryder’s co-leaders fell off Thursday. Brent Grant slipped to fourth at 6-under following a 2-over second round, while Aaron Rai plummeted to a tie with 12 players for 24th, after a 6-over 78.
San Diego State alum Xander Schauffele bounced back as well, after like Rahm, being in danger of missing the cut, as did Justin Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champion.
Schauffele, who had been among 24 players tied for 92nd, rose to 36th after a 1-under round. Rose joined him in a logjam of 18 golfers in that spot after a round in which he shot 2-under 70.
Rahm, Schauffele and Rose saved themselves from missing the cut, but it was not to be for Will Zalatoris, Scott Stallings and Kyle Westmoreland, who are done.
Among the locals, only Schauffele and Rickie Fowler (Murrieta) moved on, and Fowler, at even par, just barely. J.J. Spahn (SDSU) and Charley Hoffman (Poway High) failed to make the cut.
Since 1983 – the earliest records are available – just two first-round leaders or co-leaders have gone on to win the tourney, including Patrick Reed in 2021.
The golfers who played the North Course Wednesday played the South Course Thursday, and vice versa. The final two rounds will be played on the South Course.
– City News Service contributed to this report