Stephan Jäger is in the Top 5 after an excellent 65 round at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour. Brooks Koepka struggles in his return.
Stephan Jäger had an outstanding start to the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour on Thursday. With a round of 65, he climbed to a tie for 5th place, staying close to the leaders. Other German players had a tougher time. Thomas Rosenmüller posted a 2-under par 70 to sit at T55, ahead of Jeremy Paul, who is even par at T87, and Matti Schmid, who carded 1-over par and is at T101 heading into the second round. LIV Golf returnee Brooks Koepka shared Matti Schmid’s position at T101 after facing challenges in his first tournament back on the American tour. Justin Rose leads the tournament after day one with 10-under par.
PGA Tour: Stephan Jäger Nearly Flawless
Stephan Jäger delivered his best start in some time at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour. On the North Course of Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, he played an almost flawless round, with only the start not going his way. On the first hole, his second shot landed in the bunker near the green, causing him to miss the up and down and start with a bogey. However, Jäger was not unsettled. On the third hole, he reset by hitting a strong tee shot on the 150-meter par 3 close to the hole for a birdie. He really gained momentum with an excellent stretch on holes 7 to 9, scoring three consecutive birdies and reaching 3-under par for the front nine. The birdie on hole 8 was particularly impressive: after his tee shot landed in a bunker near the green putting him behind, Jäger executed an excellent sand shot that rolled directly into the hole. He carried this momentum onto the back nine, starting with two birdies and adding two more late birdies on holes 16 and 17, finishing with a 7-under par round to place him 5th for the remainder of the week.
Thomas Rosenmüller had a steadier round, also starting with his only bogey of the day. A birdie on hole 9 brought him to even par for the front nine. He added birdies on holes 11 and 17, finishing with a 70 and T55.
Jeremy Paul began on the back nine but struggled on the front nine, where three bogeys on holes 2, 4, and 6 pushed him back despite three birdies and one bogey early. A birdie on hole 7 helped him finish even par at T87.