SAN DIEGO — As the drama unfolded Saturday afternoon in the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open, a significant discussion centered on ... leader Sam Ryder's pants?
Ryder wore joggers, cuffed at the bottom and paired with ankle socks.
Stylish? Sure. But it was the color of the pants that caused some confusion in the gallery and on the internet.
Were they ... magenta? Fuchsia? Dark wine? Cranberry?
The Twitter page @GolfonCBS stirred things up on social media when it posted: "Sam Ryder's pants are _______."
Among the responses:
Said @leisurefriar: "Sam Ryder should be disqualified for wearing 'whatever they are' pants to our beloved Farmers Open at Torrey Pines."
Said @EdZieralski: "When Sam Ryder looks back on this day his big mistakes weren't the 2nd and 3rd shots on 7 or blowing it over the green on 8. It will be those stupid yoga pants he pulled out of the suitcase. Yoga class or golf, dude. Pick one."
Said @DrLongFrog: "Sam Ryder has been assessed a 2 stroke penalty for pants unbecoming a PGA tour player."
And said @ScottieNTCF: "Sam Ryder needs to throw those pants in the fireplace when he gets home."
Even Phil Mickelson chimed in.
"The Tour doesn't allow shorts but does allow this weeks leader to wear joggers with ankle socks?" the San Diego native tweeted. "Showing 4 inches of ankle? I'm no fashion guy, never will be, but there are some things I won't ever understand."
The discussion went in a couple directions after that, with some taking swipes at Mickelson. That included tweets of outfits he has worn over the past decades and a rant he had about shorts, among other thing. Predictably, Mickelson's status as a member of the LIV Golf tour became a topic.
A meme of Will Smith, with a turn of a phrase Smith shouted from his seat at the Oscars, was posted. It read: "Keep my tour's name out of your (bleeping) mouth."
For the record, the joggers that Ryder wore (priced at $148) are from the company Montauk, which calls the color Hawkeye.
APGA event
While the PGA Tour pros headed for the exits Saturday afternoon, those hoping to follow in their footsteps prepared for one more day at Torrey Pines.
The Advocates Professional Golf Association plays a two-round event at Torrey Pines that coincides with the PGA Tour event.
Marcus Byrd is the leader of the APGA Farmers Insurance Invitational after shooting a 73 on the North Course on Saturday.
The APGA, founded in 2010 to provide minorities with greater opportunities in golf, will have its final round televised by Golf Channel. The winner will receive an exemption to The Honda Classic, as well as $30,000 of the $100,000 purse.
Bradley makes strong run
Keegan Bradley began the final round seven strokes off the lead. He nearly made it to the top of the leaderboard after carding a 6-under 66 that tied winner Max Homa for the low round of the day.
Bradley made the turn 2-under for the day, then turned it on. He registered four birdies on the back nine, the highlight coming when he holed a 31 1/2-foot chip shot from the rough.
"When I chipped in on 13, I was trying to not look at leaderboards because I figured I was too far back to really push, you know," Bradley said. "I mean, you can't push on this course, so I didn't want to feel like I had to push. Then when I chipped in there and I hit it to a couple feet on 14, I thought, 'I'm ahead of these guys, I can post something and who knows?' "
Bradley was positioned for a potential playoff before Homa birdied the final hole for the two-stroke victory.
Notable
Murrieta native Rickie Fowler moved onto the leaderboard for a time with a strong front nine that got him to 8 under, but closed with an even-par 72. Fowler finished tied for 11th.
Local favorite Xander Schauffele (Scripps Ranch High School/San Diego State) also shot 72 and finished a shot back of Fowler in a tie for 13th.
Michael Kim (Torrey Pines High School) finished tied for 44th after shooting a final-round 77.
