For the record, they’ve been working on the North Course at Torrey Pines, trying to make it a little stronger, little more challenging like its big brother — the South Course.
After what Jon Rahm did to the North Course on Thursday at The Farmer’s, that notion sounds like a lot of hog-wash.
While the eyes of San Diego were focused on a guy named Tiger over on the South Course, the world’s seventh-ranked player totally dismantled the North.
First thing Jon Rahm did was book-end his back nine par fives nine with a pair of eagles — made a six-footer for three at the par five 10th then poured in the other from 35 feet at the 17th, the other back nine par five.
While that guy named Tiger was trying his best to knock the rust off a game that hasn’t been used since late December, Senior Rahm was going out in 29 then finishing off the front nine in just 33 shots.
With no wind and those two-year-old bent grass greens on the North Course, Rahm was gettin’ it while the gettin’ was good.
With the North re-design, Rahm’s the new record-holder with that 10-under par effort that handed him the day one lead at Torrey Pines.
“It plays to my strengths,” Rahm said of the North Course. “I took superb advantage of the par fives. I have a lot of good momentum.” He gave a lot of credit to his driving. “My driving has been consistent and you have to drive it in the fairways this week to give yourself some looks at birdie. The rough is pretty juicy. If you put it in the fairway you can be aggressive,” said the man who picked up his first PGA Tour win at this event in 2017.
Rahm wasn’t the only guy who got the “You Better Go Low On The North” memo.
So did the world’s No. 1.
Justin Rose showed off his fancy new golf equipment and it was working quite well. Seven birdies and an eagle later, Rosey was in the house with a 63, just to let Rahm know he wasn’t the only world-beater out there.
And there was a recurring theme with Rose’s round.
“Worked beautifully, I was able to take advantage of the par fives out there,” Rose pointed out. “This is one of my favorite stops on Tour, now I can go over and focus on the South Course for three straight days.
Goodness knows even that guy — Jordan Spieth, the 2015 wonder who has struggled with his putter, found some birdie putts on the North Course. “I putted beautifully,” said Spieth, who said that quite often back in 2015. Since then, not so much.
Please note that Spieth opened with a 65. When was the last time Spieth opened with a 65?
Even rookie Doug Ghim, a Texas Longhorn like Spieth, found the going easy to the North. He shot 65.
At the end of the day, you question if Rahm was the real overnight leader.
You see, Brandon Nagy shot 66 on the South Course, which might translate to a 62 or even a 61 on the North.
Who knows.
What we do know is that all the crowds will be on the North Course Friday. That guy named Tiger is showing up for his second round.
Woods may have read that “You Better Low On The North” memo.
Woods said after his pedestrian 70 on the South Course that he plans “to be aggressive” on the North.
That should be fun.
