Welcome to your rare Thursday 36-hole cut report.
The wind huffed and puffed and blew half the field at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines on their way out of town. It took even-par 144 to survive and advance and claim a Friday tee time and remain alive with a chance to hoist the trophy and go home with the winner’s surfboard on Saturday.
It will be a big field with 19 players tied for 54th place, including Rickie Fowler and Tony Finau, who both made birdies at the last to give themselves a chance to try and catch 36-hole leader Sam Ryder (-12). But not everyone was so lucky. Here are some of the notable names to miss the cut.
Will Zalatoris, 1 over
Zalatoris may still have some rust after being sidelined with a back injury since withdrawing from the BMW Championship in August. Making his third start of the season, Zalatoris got off to a solid enough start, shooting 4-under 68 at the North Course on Wednesday.
But after an opening birdie, he made six bogeys before his next birdies, including three boxes in a row on the card, starting at the fourth. A bogey at 17 put him on the wrong side of the cutline and he proceeded to miss a 12-foot birdie putt at the last. It marks his first cut since the Genesis Scottish Open in July.
Michael Herrera, 3 over
The 24-year-old APGA Tour pro put up a solid showing in his PGA Tour debut. After making one birdie and one bogey for an even-par 72 on Wednesday on the North, Herrera managed only one birdie – at the par-5 ninth – and was done in by a double at the fifth. Herrera signed for 3-over 75. For more on Herrera’s story and how NFL great Ronnie Lott has become a supporter of Herrera, click here.
Dreams aren’t given. They’re earned 😤
Pursuing his career hasn’t always been easy for @APGA_TOUR standout Michael Herrera.
But after years of chasing, Herrera will make his PGA TOUR debut near his hometown.
(Presented by @WeAreFarmers) pic.twitter.com/080nK4NEPQ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 23, 2023
J.J. Spaun, 6 over
Perhaps being the local guy this week placed too much pressure on Spaun. The San Diego State product had made nine consecutive cuts this season and 11 dating to the Wyndham Championship in August.
Spaun began by making birdie at his first three holes at the North Course on Wednesday but only made two more in his next 33 holes. He was done in by a stretch of five consecutive bogeys, beginning at the fourth hole of the South Course, and posted 6-over 78.
Harris English, 7 over
English missed his second straight cut to go along with a T-73 at the Sony Open in three starts since the calendar flipped.
English’s short game shot him in the foot as he only got up and down twice in eight attempts on Wednesday en route to shooting 4-over 76 at the South Course and the North Course was equally unkind as he signed for 3-over 75.
J.B. Holmes, 9 over
The return of Holmes lasted only two rounds but it was good to see the veteran winner of five PGA Tour titles back on the course. Holmes made his first start since the 2021 Fortinet Championship due to a back injury. Holmes had made the cut in 11 of 16 career appearances at Torrey Pines, but after an opening-round 2-under 70 on the North Course on Wednesday, he was blown away in the wind, signing for 11-over 83 on the South.
