Stephan Jäger is in the top 5 after an excellent 65 at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour. Brooks Koepka faces challenges in his return.
Stephan Jäger delivered an outstanding start Thursday at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour. With a round of 65, he tied for 5th place, staying close to the leaders. Other German players faced more difficulties. Thomas Rosenmüller scored 2 under par to tie 55th, ahead of Jeremy Paul, who stands at even par in 87th, and Matti Schmid, who played 1 over par and is tied 101st heading into the second day. LIV Golf returnee Brooks Koepka also struggled in his first tournament back on the American tour, sharing a tie at 101st with Schmid. Justin Rose leads after day one at 10 under par.
PGA Tour: Stephan Jäger Nearly Flawless
Stephan Jäger had his best start in a long 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, only faltering at the start. His second shot at the first hole landed in a bunker near the green, leading to a bogey after an unsuccessful up and down. Unshaken, Jäger bounced back at hole 3 by hitting a precise tee shot on the 150-meter par 3 to make birdie. His best stretch came in the middle of the round, where he made three consecutive birdies from holes 7 to 9, finishing the front nine at 3 under par. A standout moment was his birdie on hole 8, where after his tee shot landed in a greenside bunker, he executed an excellent sand shot that rolled directly into the hole. He kept momentum on the back nine with birdies on holes 10, 11, 16, and 17, completing his round at 7 under par and entering the week in 5th place.
Thomas Rosenmüller had a steadier round, also starting with a single bogey like Jäger but managing a birdie on hole 9 to reach even par after the front nine. Additional birdies on holes 11 and 17 helped him finish with a 70 and 55th place.
Jeremy Paul began his round on the back nine, but the front nine was challenging for him. After three birdies and a bogey, he appeared to be off to a good start, yet three unanswered bogeys on holes 2, 4, and 6 set him back. A birdie on hole 7 brought him to even par and 87th place