Stephan Jäger shoots an excellent 65 to sit in the top 5 at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour. Brooks Koepka struggles in his return.
Stephan Jäger kicked off Thursday’s Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour with an outstanding round, finishing with a 65 to tie for 5th place, close to the leaders. Other German players found it more challenging. Thomas Rosenmüller carded a 2 under par 70 to tie for 55th, ahead of Jeremy Paul, who finished even par to tie for 87th, and Matti Schmid, who finished one over par and tied for 101st going into the second day. LIV Golf returnee Brooks Koepka, also tied with Schmid, faced difficulties in his first tournament back on the American tour. Leading after the opening day is Justin Rose at 10 under par.
PGA Tour: Stephan Jäger Nearly Flawless
Stephan Jäger achieved his best start in some time at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour. On the North Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, he played a nearly perfect round, with only his opening hole presenting a challenge. His second shot on the first hole landed in a bunker near the green, and he failed to execute the up and down, starting with a bogey. However, Jäger remained undeterred. On the 3rd hole, he reset by hitting his tee shot on the 150-meter par 3 close to the hole for a birdie. A remarkable stretch of three birdies from holes 7 to 9 lifted him to 3 under par after the front nine. His birdie on the 8th hole was a highlight—after his tee shot landed in a bunker near the green putting him at a disadvantage, he executed a superb sand shot that rolled directly into the hole. The 36-year-old carried this momentum through the back nine, starting with two birdies, and closed with two more birdies on holes 16 and 17, finishing his round at 7 under par and in 5th place for the week.
Thomas Rosenmüller had a calmer round, also starting with his only bogey of the day, but a birdie on the 9th hole brought him to even par after the front nine. Birdies on holes 11 and 17 secured him a 70 and 55th place.
Jeremy Paul began his round on the back nine, but it was the front nine that proved challenging on Thursday. After three birdies and a bogey, he seemed on track for a good round, but three consecutive bogeys on holes 2, 4, and 6 set him back.