The Farmers Insurance Open began Wednesday with golfers, including Kevin Yu, Patrick Cantlay and Ryo Hisatsune, on the North Course at Torrey Pines setting the pace.
Those who set out on the course held a decided advantage Wednesday, dominating the top of the leaderboard.
Yu held a one stroke lead over Cantlay and Hisatsune, tied for second, after a day in which he shot an 8-under 64. Hideki Matsuyama, Shane Lowry and three others were two strokes behind.
Nick Hardy and Nicolai Højgaard topped golfers who started the tournament on the South Course, with 5-under 67 days, among 10 at the Open who trail Yu by three strokes.
“You can’t complain when you shoot a 67 on the South Course,” Højgaard told the Associated Press.
The field of 156 includes San Diego State and Scripps Ranch High alum Xander Schauffele, who had entered the tournament as a 9-1 favorite. He shot a 3-under 69, along with 14 others, including Justin Rose and Tony Finau.
Schauffele and Finau both began the tourney on the South Course.
Schauffele is fifth in the Official World Golf Ranking, the highest-ranked player in the Open field of 156. Cantlay follows in sixth and Max Homa, the 2023 Farmers Insurance champ, in seventh.
Homa finished in the next group behind Schauffele’s, with a 2-under 70, with three bogeys. Another former champ, Luke List and Charley Hoffman, a Poway High alum, also shot 2-under.
Schauffele was among three golfers, including Yu, tied for third at the American Express last weekend in La Quinta, two strokes behind amateur Nick Dunlap. The sophomore from the University of Alabama withdrew from the Open.
“I fell short last week, bogeyed the last hole on Sunday,” Yu told the AP. “But yeah, I’ve been playing very good and just keeping building momentum.”
Fortunes change Thursday as golfers attempt to make the cut. Those who began on the North Course switch to the south and vice versa. The final rounds Friday and Saturday will be played on the South Course.