Phil Mickelson was 3-under after his first round at the Famers Insurance Open, three off the lead.
Advertisement
By closing with three straight bogeys on the easier North Course, Mickelson missed the cut. After a stirring victory last Sunday in Abu Dhabi, his fourth in his last 18 starts, the new world No. 4 boarded a plane at 12:30 a.m. the next morning, flew more than 8,000 miles and 17 hours across 12 time zones, arriving in time for a junior clinic at Torrey Pines. When he walked off the ninth green, he was tied for second, one shot off the lead.
SPIETH SLIPS IN SINGAPORE: Jordan Spieth fell five shots off the lead at the Singapore Open when an electrical storm forced second-round play to be abandoned.
Olesen, victor of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship a year ago, showed good touch in a 69 that featured one bogey on the fifth hole.
One player you might soon hear a lot more about is Kizzire, 29, the Web.com Tour Player of the Year last season who already has two top-five finishes in this wrap-around PGA Tour season.
Scott Brown and Phil Mickelson both had reason to believe it could be a long day on the South Course at Torrey Pines. He made just five birdies in two days and was probably fortunate to perform at all. Of the top-33, 21 players played on the North Course yesterday. Billy Horschel, Patton Kizzire, Tom Hoge, Rob Oppenheim and Harold Varner all carded their 67s on the North Course.
“I’ve never played the golf course with that wind before”, Hull said. “I don’t know when the results will come, very possibly this week, or it could be later, but I feel like the swing, the shot making, the game, is finally where I want it”.
“You can’t live and die by one week”, Day said.
“This week my iron play and putting is much better than last week”, Choi said. “I guess if someone said, you’re going to make the cut this week in your first event, there’s obviously a few nerves and it’s fun to be out here on the weekend”. “I obviously have my own goals, but when those guys are playing well… we’re all motivating each other to become better players”. He wanted to bring the aesthetics of the canyon into play and make the course more enjoyable for amateurs and a strong test for the pros.
Overcoming a double bogey on the second hole, Mickelson bagged six birdies, including three in a row starting on the 12th.
Mickelson has not won at Torrey Pines since 2001 and has not won any title since the 2013 British Open.
Rickie Fowler’s early exit had a reasonable explanation, too: No one traveled farther to get to San Diego.
Advertisement
Sergio Garcia made a 50-foot putt for an eagle on the 18th hole to console himself after a poor round of 2-over 74.
