From day one, Justin Rose led the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour, breaking a Tiger Woods record at 45 years old.
At 45, Justin Rose left his competition far behind at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour. With a seven-stroke lead and a tournament record of 23 under par, Rose triumphed at Torrey Pines. He held the lead firmly from the start and set new scoring records after every round.
PGA Tour: Justin Rose Wins with Tournament Record
In the final round, Rose only needed a 70 to secure a comfortable victory. With three birdies on the front nine, the Englishman extended his lead further. On the back nine, there was only one bogey on the 12th hole, but Rose had enough cushion not to worry. Instead, he focused on breaking the tournament record of 22 under par, last set by Tiger Woods in 1999. \”That was the only thing I concentrated on during the last three holes,\” Rose said afterward.
\”The fact that I was able to increase my lead each day is something I’m naturally proud of as a player because it feels like handling pressure from start to finish, continuously improving and moving forward,\” Rose said at his winner’s press conference. \”Maybe it’s something I haven’t achieved before, so I am very satisfied with that.\”
While his golf game was nearly flawless, he attributed most of his success to his mental strength. \”I was just very disciplined this week. Of course, I played well, but I felt I managed my game well, thought carefully, was patient at the right moments, and could compensate for small mistakes by making the right putt at the right time. There was a lot of genuine mental maturity from a strategic golf perspective.\”
Stephan Jäger Finishes in Top 5
With Rose unreachable at the top, the rest contested for second place. Pierceson Coody shot a 65, the best round of the day, climbing twelve spots into a tie for second with Si Woo Kim and Roy Hisatsune. Behind them, Stephan Jäger finished T5 at 15 under par, posting a 68 on the final day to secure a strong result. After some mixed performances earlier, his final round featured a bit of both birdie power and bogeys. Despite three bogeys from imprecise shots, seven birdies kept him inside the top 10. Following a missed cut at the American Express, this marks a positive sign for the new year and his best finish since the Sony Open in January 2025.
Brooks Koepka’s Return to PGA Tour
Brooks Koepka ended the tournament with a 70, tying for 56th, completing his first week back on the PGA Tour. Koepka noted that half the players are strangers to him after changes in recent years. \”There have been some changes over the last four years. I know half the guys, the other half I don’t. It’s going to be an exciting year meeting everyone, and I look forward to it,\” Koepka said post-tournament.