Torrey Pines, CA …
Justin Rose is on target to celebrate his 20th season in the pro ranks by ending a 20-month PGA Tour winless drought with success in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, California.
Rose, 36 holed a testing 10-foot birdie putt at the 18th in a round of a one under par 71 and move to eight under par in bright but windy and testing conditions on the course that hosted the 2008 U.S. Open.
Two players – Canadian Adam Hadwin (71) and American Ryder Cup star Brandt Snedeker (69) share second place at seven under par.
Hadwin stamped his name golf’s history books a week ago in becoming the eighth player in the history of the PGA Tour to sign for a score of 59, and on the third day of the Career Builder Challenge at La Quinta and some three hours drive east of San Diego.
There is a further 31 players within four shots of the lead including former Open Champion Stewart Cink (72) and four under par while redp-hot Hideki Matsuyama (71) is also just four adrift of Rose.
Justin Rose leads by one after two rounds of 2017 Farmers Insurance Open (Photo – PGA Tour)
Rose is the reigning Rio Olympic Games gold medal winner but he’s not stepped to the top of the victor’s platform since capturing the 2015 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, and in what was his seventh PGA Tour counting success in April that year.
“It’s a very bunched field and to have an even par cut is incredibly low,” said Rose.
“Everyone who’s made the cut is within eight shots, so it will be a lot of guys chasing. But it’s a golf course you’ve got to stay patient on. You’ve just got to hit good golf shots. You can’t really fake it around here so it’s just about continuing to play well.”
But then Rose displayed his intent with a nice fist pump at the last after he had bogeyed the 14th and 15th holes to fall back into a share of the lead.
“Yeah, I gave a little fist pump on that last putt but then it’s always a poignant way to finish and to try and stay ahead of the field is obviously a nice thing to do,” said Rose.
“I think the fact that I was kind of in between clubs in the fairway there and I was really struggling to make a decision and really executed my third shot made that really sort of a meaningful birdie for me.”
Fellow Brits Martin Laird (72) and Paul Casey (73) share 35th place at two under par.
