By Wil Barnes
La Jolla, CA – After Mother Nature and Father Time dominated day one of the Farmers Insurance Open in sometimes beautiful La Jolla, the sun reemerged. On day one, there was a total of 2 hours and 29 minutes of fog delays, including one that lasted more than an hour that caused Tiger Woods “glutes” to tighten and he could not fire any longer and withdrew after 12 holes.
It appears all the more evident that old Father Time has got a hold on the world’s former No. 1. And it’s a shame for fans, for his competitors, and, most of all, golf. And then Phil Mickelson, the local favorite son of San Diego, made an exit after shooting 2 over in two days. Still, as they say in the circus, the show must go on.
After three rounds, J.B. Holmes and Harris English share the lead at 9-under, with a host of players only one shot back, including Sacramento’s Nick Watney, ’09 U.S. Open champ Lucas Glover, Fedex Cup points leader Jimmy Walker, Chad Campbell (who aced the 3rd hole Saturday)and Spencer Levin. Bill Haas, who won the Humana Challenge two weeks ago, heads a group at 7-under.
So Sunday appears to be anybody’s opportunity if they can tame the difficult South course at Torrey Pines. It’s been glorious, bright sunshine for most of the tournament
after a gloomy opening round on Thursday. The crowds remain enthused and Sunday should provide much the same. Saturday was College Saturday and there were tigers, cowboys, the Stanford tree and others in university colors roaming the cliffs of La Jolla.
Anyone who has played the South course at Torrey Pines knows it is a stiff test, as evidenced by the fact that only six players of the 74 who made the cut shot in the 60s, including co-leader Holmes’ 68, tied for best of the day. “I think the rough is as brutal as it was in the 2008 U.S. Open,” said Watney. Glover, who has been missing on leader boards for a while, said, “You have to hang in there. You’re not the only person to make a bogey today.”
Notes:
* Twelve players are within two shots of the lead, so it’s anybody’s tournament to win Sunday.
* Harris English, the 36-hole leader, started with birdie and then a double bogey at the 4th brought him back to the pack. He shot 73 to join the majority of players who shot 70 or higher.
* The South course, which hosted the 2008 U.S. Open, is long, and even though these guys can bomb the ball, playing at sea level with some breeze of the Pacific threatens frustration and when that happens, the South can torture the best in the world.
* Sunday’s final round forecast is for clear and sunny conditions, but you never know if the fog will return to the cliffs of La Jolla.
* Keeping the ball out of the cabbage is a must. “Keeping the ball in the fairway this week is a the only way to shoot a decent score,” said Spencer Levin who is tied for second and returning to the Tour after some time off and also quitting smoking cigarettes, which he is slowly getting accustomed to.
* Even without Tiger and Phil playing on the weekend, the golf fans of San Diego were thick along the closing holes as the leaders were coming in.
