Justin Rose led from day one at the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open, breaking a Tiger Woods record at age 45.
At 45 years old, Justin Rose left his competition behind at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour, winning by seven shots with a tournament record of 23 under par 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, a score of 70 was enough to secure a comfortable victory. With three birdies on the front nine, the Englishman pulled further ahead; on the back nine there was just one bogey at the 12th hole, but Rose had enough cushion to remain confident. Instead, he focused on beating the tournament record of 22 under par, previously set by Tiger Woods in 1999. \”That was the only thing I focused on in the last three holes,\” Rose said afterwards.
\”The fact that I could extend my lead every day is something I am naturally proud of as a player, because you feel you can handle the pressure from start to finish, keep improving and keep moving forward,\” Rose said at his winner’s press conference. \”Maybe that’s something I haven’t managed before, so I’m very happy with that.\”
Although there was hardly anything to criticize about his golf game, he attributes his success mainly to 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 sinking the right putt at the right time. There was a lot of real mental maturity and strategic golf perspective.\”
Stephan Jäger in the Top 5
With Rose unreachable at the top, the rest competed for second place. Pierceson Coody made 12 places up with a 65, the best round of the day, sharing the position with Si Woo Kim and Roy Hisatsune. Just behind them was Stephan Jäger tied for 5th at 15 under par. With a 68 on the final day, he secured a strong result. While Jäger had only known two modes during previous days—full birdie power or bogey monsters—the final day had a bit of both. Three inaccurate shots resulted in bogeys, but with seven birdies total, he maintained his place in the top 10. After missing the cut at the American Express, this is a positive sign for the new year and his best result since the Sony Open in January 2025.
Brooks Koepka finished the tournament with a 70, tied for 56th, completing his first week back on the PGA Tour. The biggest change, Koepka said after the tournament, is that he didn’t recognize half the players. \”In the last four years, there have been some changes. I know half the guys, the other half I don’t. It’s going to be an exciting year getting to know everyone, and I’m looking forward to it.\”