26 January 2019: An even par 72 wasn’t going to be enough for Jon Rahm to retain control of the lead at the Farmers Insurance Open. The first round leader could not follow through after a rousing 62 in the opening round and the world No.1 Justin Rose took advantage to gain a three-stroke lead over Hideki Matsuyama. Both men played on the South Course on Friday, posting similar scores of 66 to end the day three strokes apart, with Rose at 15-under.
Ryan Palmer is in the third spot. The American posted a second straight 67 to reach the weekend at 10-under 134. Rahm and Billy Horschel are tied with Palmer at the halfway stage of the tournament.
Rory McIlroy came to life, with a pair of eagles aiding him 65 places up the order into T9. The Northern Irishman shot the day’s best score of 65, playing the North Course to end the day at 8-under 136. Keeping him company inside the top ten are Adam Scott, Sepp Straka, Sam Burns, Bud Cauley, John Huh, Charles Howell III, Doug Ghim and Wyndham Clark.
Just ahead of that group in T6 are Joel Dahmen, Si Woo Kim and Sang Moon Bae at 9-under. Jordan Spieth had a disappointing 72 on Friday after starting the week with a fine 65.
Rose’s effort on Friday helped him match the 36-hole record of Tom Lehman from 2005, setting the tone for another low scoring week at the start of this 2019 season.
Meanwhile, Japanese star Matsuyama is hoping that he can put an end to a lengthy drought on the PGA TOUR. “I’m very happy to shoot 66 on the South Course,” Matsuyama said. “Two chip-ins really helped out today, but I hit the ball well,” said Matsuyama.
Just a lone bogey at the par-3 16th, where he ended up plugged in the bunker off the tee and a missed five-footer for birdie at the last prevented him to inching closer to Rose.
Matsuyama hasn’t won since the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in 2017. “It was a disappointing season last year in that it didn’t include any victories,” Matsuyama added. “Over the offseason, I’ve worked hard and trained hard.”
Despite the North Course playing a couple of shots easier on Friday, relative to the South Course, Tiger Woods returned a disappointing 70 to end the day eleven strokes off the pace.
“It could have been a lot lower than that,” Woods said. “I didn’t make anything today. I hit a lot of good putts that just didn’t go in, they’re just lipping out. Those putts go in and it’s a round of 5, 6 under par easily.”
“I felt a little bit off at times here and there. I squeezed a couple off the tees just to get it in play and ripped a few here and there and hit a couple good bombs down there. Iron shots weren’t as close as I’d like to have them. Wasn’t quite as sharp as I’d like to be, but I hit them in there close enough where I should have made some of those putts. They lip in instead of lipping out, the ballgame changes a little bit.”
Woods will start the weekend hoping to better his score of 70, posted in his first two rounds of the season.
