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 no chance at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour. With a seven-stroke lead and a tournament record of 23 under par, Rose won comfortably at Torrey Pines. He held the lead firmly from the start and set new scoring records after each round.
PGA Tour: Justin Rose Wins with Tournament Record
In the final round, a 70 was enough to secure a comfortable victory. With three birdies on the front nine, the Englishman further extended his lead; on the back nine, he made only one bogey on the 12th, but had enough buffer not to worry. Instead, he focused on breaking the tournament record of 22 under par, previously set by Tiger Woods in 1999. \”That was the only thing I concentrated on during the last three holes,\” Rose said afterwards.
\”The fact that I was able to 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, continuously improve, and keep moving forward,\” Rose said at his winner’s press conference. \”Maybe that’s something I hadn’t achieved before, so I am very satisfied with that.\”
Although there was hardly anything to criticize about his golf game, he credits his success mainly to his mental strength. \”I was very disciplined this week. Of course, I played well, but I felt I managed my game well – being thoughtful, patient at the right moments, and able to compensate for small mistakes by sinking the right putt at the right time. There was a lot of real mental maturity from a strategic golf perspective.\”
Stephan Jäger Finishes in Top 5
With Rose unreachable at the top, the rest fought for second place. Pierceson Coody moved up 12 places with a 65, the best round of the day, to share second with Si Woo Kim and Roy Hisatsune. Right behind them, Stephan Jäger finished tied for 5th with a total of 15 under par. He secured this result with a 68 in the final round. Whereas in previous days Jäger’s play swung between full birdie mode and bogey mistakes, the final day showed a bit of both. Three times inaccurate shots resulted in bogeys, but with seven birdies overall, 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 completed the tournament with a 70, finishing tied for 56th, marking his first week back on the PGA Tour. The biggest change, Koepka said after the tournament, is that he did not recognize half the players. \”There have been some changes in the last four years. I know half the guys, but the other half I don’t. It’s going to be an exciting year getting to know everyone, and I am looking forward to it.\”