The scenic Torrey Pines Golf Course turned into a wind-battered battlefield during the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open on Friday. Ferocious gusts topping 35 miles per hour forced play to be suspended for over an hour as the challenging conditions made it nearly impossible for players to continue.
First-round leader Ludvig Aberg, playing in his PGA Tour debut, battled to a 3-over 75 on the brutally difficult South Course. He currently shares the lead at 6-under par with Lanto Griffin, who managed an even-par 72 in the face of the howling winds.
Wind Wreaks Havoc
The blustery conditions turned Torrey Pines, already known as one of the tour’s most demanding venues, into an absolute monster. Powerful gusts blew hats off players’ heads, sent balls rolling off greens, and made club selection a guessing game.
“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,” Griffin said of the conditions. “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.”
– Lanto Griffin
Play was halted at 2:05 p.m. local time as winds reached a crescendo, making it impossible to play. The delay lasted an hour and 26 minutes before players were sent back out to try to complete their rounds in the fading light and slightly diminished, but still daunting, winds.
Unplayable Conditions
- Wind gusts measured over 35 mph
- Play suspended for 1 hour, 26 minutes
The exposed, cliffside holes along the Pacific Ocean took the brunt of the wind’s wrath. On holes like the par-3 3rd on the South Course, players watched helplessly as well-struck shots were blown mercilessly off line, often leading to bogey or worse.
“Throw the score out the window,” said Griffin, capturing the survive-and-advance mentality required. “(On) a normal day, 72 is good on this golf course, and today was just head-down grind.”
– Lanto Griffin
Unfinished Business
When play was called due to darkness, dozens of players were still on the course, their rounds only partially completed. They’ll have to return early Saturday morning to play their remaining holes before the cut is made and the third round can begin.
Among those with work left to do is amateur Luke Clanton, a junior at Florida State. Clanton played his way into contention before struggling as the winds peaked. He wisely elected not to finish, choosing instead to complete his promising round on Saturday morning.
Farmers Leaderboard
| 1. Ludvig Aberg | -6 | (75) |
| 1. Lanto Griffin | -6 | (72) |
| 3. Danny Walker | -5 | (71*) |
Also in the mix are Chris Gotterup who matched the low round of the day with a 69, Hayden Springer, and Sungjae Im. All sit just two shots off the lead at 4-under par.
The forecast calls for continued strong winds over the weekend, promising more high scores and survival-mode golf. For those who battled through the worst of it on Friday, simply making the cut will feel like a hard-earned victory.
