Ludvig Aberg and Lanto Griffin share the lead on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open as ferocious winds pressured a 90-minute delay and prevented dozens of gamers from ending the second spherical.
First-round chief and Swedish Ryder Cup star Aberg fought to a six-over 75, whereas Griffin shot 72 to depart them each on six below total.
Aberg made three bogeys in 5 holes on the entrance 9 and added a double on the 14th, with American Griffin managing three birdies on his again 9 as he managed a stage par 72, regardless of describing some photographs as “brutal” within the situations.
Danny Walker is a shot again in third and Chris Gotterup’s 69, the joint-best rating of the day, vaulted him as much as fourth together with Hayden Springer and Sungjae Im at four-under.
The gamers battled robust, inconsistent wind gusts measured at greater than 35mph on the famed Torrey Pines 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.
“Throw the score out the window,” stated Griffin, who earned his PGA Tour card at Q-school final month.
“[On] a traditional day, 72 is nice on this golf course, and immediately was simply head-down grind. Strolling to the thirteenth tee, it began gusting 35mph, most likely, so there are particular photographs like 13 tee that had been simply brutal, the 9 tee blowing straight off the left.
“It was kind of hang on for dear life, try and save pars on majority of the holes and sprinkle in a birdie or two.”
The delay started simply after 2pm native time and lasted till 3.31pm, forcing the gamers to play rapidly in only 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 may 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 one-under.
Within the opening spherical, the scores on the better North Course (70.2) had been considerably higher than on the South Course (72.5). Because of the wind, the South Course (75.3) really performed simpler than the North (75.6) on Thursday.
Ludvig Aberg strolling to the fifteenth gap of the South Course at a gusty Torrey Pines
“It was extremely difficult,” stated Eric Cole, who was three photographs off the lead after managing to complete his second-round 71 moments earlier than the stoppage.
“It started really blowing on like our second or third hole, so we had a solid six holes of really heavy winds. Then it almost died down and switched directions for a few holes.
“Very difficult and really distinctive. I do know it could blow right here slightly, but it surely simply appeared like further gusty and (was) sort of switching instructions for slightly, so it made it robust.”
No one had a bogey-free spherical whereas battling the wind that blew clouds of dust and sand into the Pacific Ocean all afternoon.
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A brush hearth 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 line with San Diego Fireplace-Rescue.
Some gamers did not look forward to 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.
Novice Luke Clanton, a Florida State junior, moved up the leaderboard on the entrance 9 earlier than making three bogeys amid the worst wind situations. He elected to cease for the day together with his tee shot on the seventeenth sitting in the best tough, the place he’ll resume his second spherical Friday.
Defending champion Matthieu Pavon had one other poor day as he carded eight-over 80 within the second spherical to complete properly outdoors the projected lower line and 2023 winner Max Homa withdrawing resulting from sickness in the course of the wind delay on nine-over par.
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