Torrey Pines bared its teeth on Friday with winds whipping up at 15-25 miles per hour and that spelled bad news at the Farmers Insurance Open for the biggest names in golf.
Tiger Woods, Jason Day and Dustin Johnson, the superstar trio that played together, are all gone, victims of the 36-hole cut that came at even par.
Woods shot 72 on the North course but he simply did not have the firepower to make up for his opening 76 over on the South course. At four-over, he wasn’t even close to the cut line. Day can look at his putting as the culprit that sent him home early. He had 34 putts on the South course Thursday and wasn’t much better on Friday. Rounds of 73-74 added up to three-over and a ticket home.
Johnson couldn’t come up with some needed birdie putts over his final six holes and after shooting 72 to open, his 74 sent him down the road.
Those three weren’t alone.
PGA champion Jimmy Walker was three-over and gone as was Rickie Fowler, who is sponsored by Farmers Insurance and left his people disappointed.
One big name who made his presence felt was Olympic Gold Medalist Justin Rose. Rose holed a slippery 10-foot downhiller at the 18th hole to shoot 71 on the South course for an eight-under par 36-hole total that gave him the solo lead. “It was really nice to finish the way I did on 18. I’m looking forward to the weekend,” he said after his round.
Right behind him was defending champion Brand Snedeker, who shot 69 on the South course to get to seven-under. Adam Hadwin, the 59-shooter who had a 66 on the South course Friday, managed 71 on the North to tie with Snedeker.
“A much tougher day,” Hadwin pointed out. “I did my best. I drove the ball well and gave myself a lot of (birdie) chances. Just have to keep grinding it out.”
