Harris English shot a bogey-free, 6-under-par 66 on the North Course for a two-stroke lead over Nick Watney, Martin Laird of Scotland and Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela after two rounds of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla.
The 25-year-old English, who has two victories on the PGA Tour, collected three birdies on each nine and backed up the bogey-free 68 he opened with on the more difficult South Course, where he made an eagle on the fifth hole to highlight his first round.
“It was a beautiful day out here at Torrey Pines and it was a lot of fun,” said English, who captured the FedEx St. Jude Classic and OHL Classic at Mayakoba, both in 2013. “I got it going and made a lot of birdies, and it’s easier to do that on the North Course.
“The South Course is just a beast and doesn’t give you any room for error. I made a lot of 6-to-8 foot putts for birdie over there (in round one) and chipped in on my second hole. It’s hard not to make any bogeys on that course. The greens are faster than I have ever seen them.”
Watney, from Fresno State and Sacramento, had a bogey-free 65 on the North Course as he seeks his eighth PGA Tour victory and first since the 2012 Barclays.
Laird recorded his second 68, while Vegas had a 69, with all three players in second playing on the North Course in round two.
Nicholas Thompson, the first-round leader at 64, posted a 73 on the South Course that included a lone birdie on the 18th hole and was alone in fifth, three shots behind.
Jason Day of Australia birdied four of the last six holes for a 65 on the North Course and was four strokes behind in a tie for sixth with nine others, including Jimmy Walker (66, North), Chad Campbell (71, South), Marc Leishman of Australia (66, North), Ian Poulter of England (71, South), Lucas Glover (68, North) and Spencer Levin of Elk Grove (70, North).
Phil Mickelson, playing in his hometown event which he has won three times, shot 74-72 — 146 and missed the cut by three strokes, failing to make the weekend in two straight events for the first time since 2012.
Dustin Johnson, in his first event since August after taking a leave of absence to deal with personal issues, finished at 74-70 — 144 and missed the cut by one shot. Justin Rose of England, playing his first PGA Tour event of the year, shot the same score and was gone.
