As the rain pelted down and the wind howled, Torrey Pines Golf Course bared its teeth on Thursday at the Genesis Invitational. But amidst the carnage, one man emerged from the deluge with a spectacular finish that seized the first-round lead—Denny McCarthy.
McCarthy, still chasing his maiden PGA Tour victory, refused to let the daunting conditions deter him. While others floundered, he flourished, closing his round in unforgettable fashion with a birdie at the 16th followed by a soaring eagle at the par-5 18th. A brilliant 3-wood from 215 yards ran up to 7 feet, setting the stage for his defining moment.
I came out with the attitude that I was just going to have fun and try to embrace it as much as I could,
McCarthy said of his mindset entering the brutal test that Torrey Pines presented.
That fearless approach paid off, vaulting him to 4-under 68 and a one-shot lead over Séamus Power and Patrick Rodgers. But even those chasing him couldn’t help but marvel at the course’s relentless examination under the harsh conditions.
A Punishing Par-5 Pummels the Field
Perhaps no hole epitomized the suffering quite like the 613-yard, par-5 13th. It played directly into a piercing wind that made simply reaching the green in regulation a Herculean task. So difficult was the hole that even the world’s No. 1 player, Scottie Scheffler, required a driver, 3-wood and 9-iron to finally reach the putting surface.
In Scheffler’s words: “I striped all three of them, too.”
The 13th, along with the equally beastly 9th hole, played over par on average—a true rarity for par-5s on the PGA Tour. Only three players managed to break 70 on the day, with a mere 11 shooting under par. It was a day for survival, not triumph.
Woods Looms Large in Absence
The brutal test came without the presence of Tiger Woods, the tournament host who withdrew to mourn the passing of his mother. But reminders of Woods remained, including a poignant white flag on the 7th green—a subtle tribute to Kultida Woods, a devoted Buddhist.
And in a touching display of the tournament’s commitment to the community, the Genesis Invitational pledged $8 million to support relief efforts in the wake of the devastating wildfires that tore through Pacific Palisades. Riviera Country Club added its own $1 million contribution, a powerful reminder of golf’s capacity to make a difference beyond the ropes.
The Suffering Set to Continue
As for the forecast ahead? More of the same misery, according to Séamus Power: “It’s blowing only like 10 to 15 [mph], but 10 to 15 here is basically 25 to 30 at other places. There’s no letup.”
And with that relentless wind comes the promise of more carnage, more suffering, and more of the best players in the world pushed to their absolute limits. At Torrey Pines, it seems, there is no shelter from the storm.
But amidst it all stands McCarthy, unbowed and unbroken. The man who began his day with a refreshing perspective: Embrace the challenge, and just have fun. One round in, that mentality has him alone atop the leaderboard. The question is: In a week where par feels like a pipe dream, can McCarthy’s joyful resilience withstand the looming tempest?
