‘Hang on for Dear Life’ – Wind Gives Golfers Fits on Second Day of Farmers Insurance Open

Ludvig Aberg and Lanto Griffin shared the lead Thursday at Torrey Pines in the Farmers Insurance Open after stubborn winds interrupted play.

Gusts forced an 86-minute delay and prevented dozens of players from finishing the second round though Aberg, the first-round leader, fought to a 3-over 75 and Griffin had a 72 — both on the South Course.

They sit even at 6-under 138.

Danny Walker was 5 under, while Chris Gotterup had a 69 to match the day’s best round and join Hayden Springer and Sungjae Im at 4 under.

The players battled strong, inconsistent wind gusts measured at more than 35 mph on the famed coastal course better known for being blanketed by a foggy marine layer. Some gusts moved stationary balls and ripped hats off heads before marshals suspended play.

“Throw the score out the window,” said Griffin, who earned his PGA Tour card at Q-school last month. “(On) a normal day, 72 is good on this golf course, and today was just head-down grind. … Walking to (the 13th) tee, it started gusting 35 miles an hour, probably, so there are certain shots like 13 tee that were just brutal, (or 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 wind in San Diego is no joke.

Torrey Pines North currently has the fifth-highest single round scoring average on record!

???? @PGATOURLIVE pic.twitter.com/9Qax10QPoz— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 23, 2025

The delay began just after 2 p.m. and lasted until 3:31 p.m. – at roughly the same time a small brush fire started not far to the south – forcing the players to move quickly in barely diminished wind for a shot at finishing their rounds.

The North Course is more exposed to the ocean, so the wind was particularly brutal on players like No. 4 Hideki Matsuyama, who could only watch in disgust while his well-considered putts went nowhere near their intended destination.

Matsuyama still managed a 75 and made the cut at 1 under.

In the opening round, the scores on the easier North Course (70.2) were significantly better than on the South Course (72.5). Thanks to the wind, the South Course (75.3) actually played easier than the North (75.6) on Thursday.

“It was extremely difficult,” said Eric Cole, who was three shots off the lead after managing to finish his second-round 71 moments before 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 tricky and very unique. I know it can blow here a little, but it just seemed like extra gusty and (was) kind of switching directions for a little, so it made it tough.”

Nobody had a bogey-free round while battling wind that blew clouds of dirt and sand into the Pacific Ocean all afternoon.

Some players didn’t wait for the resumption of play. Max Homa, the 2023 Farmers Open champion, withdrew during the stoppage with just three holes left to play, citing illness late in his second straight dismal round.

Amateur Luke Clanton, a Florida State junior, moved up the leaderboard on the front nine before making three bogeys amid the worst wind conditions. He elected to stop for the day with his tee shot on the 17th sitting in the right rough, where he’ll resume his second round Friday.