Stephan Jaeger of Germany has taken the lead in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines after an impressive second round. Jaeger finished with a 35-foot eagle putt on his final hole to card an 8-under 64 and secure a one-shot lead over Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark.
Playing on the North Course, Jaeger got off to a flying start, birdieing five of his first eight holes and carding just one bogey. He continued his solid play throughout the round, culminating in an eagle on the par-5 ninth hole. His superb finish propelled him to the top of a closely contested leaderboard, with a score of 12-under.
Reflecting on his performance, Jaeger expressed excitement about his closing eagle putt, stating, 'Finishing like that, yeah, it was exciting.' He described his approach shot on the final hole, acknowledging that he slightly missed his intended target but still managed to nestle the ball just short of the pin on the back fringe. From there, he successfully converted the 35-foot putt, giving him a boost of confidence heading into the final two rounds.
As the tournament shifts to the South Course for the remainder of the competition, Jaeger admitted that his strong finish on the North Course might not provide much momentum. Nevertheless, he remains optimistic and enthusiastic about the opportunity to play on one of his favorite courses. The 32-year-old golfer, who has been on the tour since 2018 but is still chasing his first victory, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, 'It's always nice to make eagles and birdies. Nobody can take those away from you. I'm pumped to play the South Course two more days. I love this place. This is probably one of my favorite tournaments every year.'
Nicolai Hojgaard, who is playing in his first Farmers Insurance Open, sits just one shot behind Jaeger at 11 under. The 22-year-old from Denmark delivered a bogey-free round of 66 on the North Course, demonstrating solid play and composure. Hojgaard expressed satisfaction with his performance so far, particularly emphasizing his strong driving and his ability to scramble effectively when needed.
Belgium's Thomas Detry and France's Matthieu Pavon are tied at 10 under after playing on the South Course. Pavon had an impressive round, consistently shooting a 65 with only one bogey, while Detry had a slight stumble with two bogeys in his final four holes, ultimately carding a 68.
Other notable contenders include Tony Finau and Michael Kim, both at 9 under, with Finau shooting a 66 on the North Course and Kim a 68 on the South Course. Aaron Rei, Emiliano Grillo, and Joseph Bramlett are all tied at 8 under after playing on the South Course.
Local favorite Xander Schauffele, currently ranked No. 5 in the world, is part of a group of 13 players at 7 under after firing a solid 68 on the North Course.
Despite a promising start, first-round leader Kevin Yu struggled and fell behind with a 74 on the South Course. World No. 6 Patrick Cantlay also had a difficult day, posting a 73 on the South Course, leaving both players at 6 under.
Defending champion Max Homa, ranked No. 7 in the world, had a steady round of 70 on the North Course, placing him at 4 under for the tournament. Hideki Matsuyama, who recently made history with his Masters victory, achieved his first PGA Tour hole-in-one on the par-3 eighth hole of the South Course, finishing with a round of 71.
The Farmers Insurance Open will conclude on Saturday, ensuring it doesn't clash with the NFL conference championship games. With the leaderboard tightly packed and two more rounds to go, the excitement is set to build as the golfers vie for the prestigious title.
