SAN DIEGO — Ludvig Åberg and Lanto Griffin shared the lead Thursday at Torrey Pines within the Farmers Insurance coverage Open after ferocious wind pressured an 86-minute delay and prevented dozens of gamers from ending the second spherical.
First-round chief Aberg fought to a 3-over 75, whereas Griffin had a 72 — each on the South Course — to sit down even with Aberg at 6-under 138.
Danny Walker was 5 beneath, whereas Chris Gotterup had a 69 to match the day’s greatest spherical and be a part of Hayden Springer and Sungjae Im at 4 beneath.
The gamers battled robust, inconsistent wind gusts measured at greater than 35 mph on the famed coastal course higher identified for foggy marine layers than disruptive climate. Some gusts moved stationary balls and ripped hats off heads earlier than marshals suspended play.
Editor’s Picks
1 Associated
“Throw the rating out the window,” mentioned Griffin, who earned his PGA Tour card at Q-school final month. “[On] a traditional day, 72 is nice on this golf course, and right this moment was simply head-down grind. … Strolling to [the 13th] tee, it began gusting 35 miles an hour, most likely, so there are particular pictures like 13 tee that have been simply brutal, [or the] 9 tee blowing straight off the left. It was form of dangle on for pricey life, try to save pars on majority of the holes and sprinkle in a birdie or two.”
The delay started at 2:05 p.m. native time and lasted till 6:31 p.m., forcing the gamers to play rapidly in just diminished wind for a shot at ending their rounds.
The North Course is extra uncovered to the ocean, so the wind was significantly brutal on gamers like world No. 4 Hideki Matsuyama, who might solely watch in disgust whereas his well-considered putts went nowhere close to their supposed vacation spot. Matsuyama nonetheless managed a 75 and made the lower at 1 beneath.
Within the opening spherical, the scores on the better North Course (70.13) have been considerably higher than these on the South Course (72.16). Due to the wind, scores at each — South Course (75.53) and the North (75.2) — have been a lot increased Thursday.
“It was extraordinarily troublesome,” mentioned Eric Cole, who was three pictures off the lead after managing to complete his second-round 71 moments earlier than the stoppage. “It began actually blowing on like our second or third gap, so we had a strong six holes of actually heavy winds. Then it nearly died down and switched instructions for a couple of holes. Very tough and really distinctive. I do know it could actually blow right here a little bit, but it surely simply appeared like further gusty and [was] form of switching instructions for a little bit, so it made it robust.”
No one had a bogey-free spherical whereas battling the wind that blew clouds of filth and sand into the Pacific Ocean all afternoon.
A brush fireplace additionally broke out about 4 miles south of Torrey Pines and burned three acres close to the UC San Diego campus, however 175 firefighters rapidly stopped its ahead progress, in response to San Diego Fireplace-Rescue.
Some gamers did not watch for the resumption of play. Max Homa, the 2023 champion of this occasion, withdrew in the course of the stoppage with simply three holes left to play, citing sickness late in his second straight dismal spherical.
Beginner Luke Clanton, a Florida State junior, moved up the leaderboard on the entrance 9 earlier than making three bogeys amid the worst wind circumstances. He elected to cease for the day along with his tee shot on the seventeenth sitting in the precise tough, the place he’ll resume his second spherical Friday.
Info from ESPN Analysis and The Related Press was used on this report.
