It wasn’t the kind of start Jason Day and Rickie Fowler were looking for.
On the other hand, Phil Mickelson left Torrey Pines on Thursday with a smile on his face.
Day’s week got off to a bad start when he came down with the flu and it carried over to his play in the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open. The world’s No. 2 couldn’t find a fairway off the tee and his round turned into a struggle. Four birdies and four bogeys later, he walked off the easier North course with an even par round of 72.
Fowler’s struggle was worse. All he could come up with was a one-over par effort of 72 on that North course, the one players admit is the course you have to shoot under par on.
Meanwhile, over on the big-boy South course, Mickelson came to life over his final nine holes with birdies on four of his final six holes. He posted a South course 69. “I hit a lot of good irons shots today,” Mickelson said. “It was a great start. I’m starting to hit shots again like I used to.”
There won’t be a true leader until late Friday, but for now, it was Scott Brown who put forth the most impressive work on day one. His six-under par 66 on the South course was most impressive, especially when you consider he played his last 11 holes, eight-under par. “I hit it really solid coming home,” he said afterward.
Brown is a surprise contender given the fact that he’s missed the cut in his three previous appearances at Torrey Pines.
Andres Loupe was the only other player at six-under but his came over on the more forgiving North course.
