From day one, Justin Rose led at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour, breaking a Tiger Woods record at age 45.
At 45, Justin Rose left his competitors far behind at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour. With a seven-stroke lead and a tournament record of 23 under par, Rose claimed victory at Torrey Pines. He controlled the tournament 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 his comfortable win. With three birdies on the front nine, the Englishman extended his lead further. On the back nine, he made only one bogey at the 12th but had enough buffer to remain relaxed. Instead, he focused on breaking the tournament record of 22 under par, last set by Tiger Woods in 1999. “That was the only thing I focused on during the last three holes,” Rose said afterward.
“The fact that I could extend my lead every day is something I’m very proud of as a player, because it feels like you can handle that pressure from start to finish and keep improving,” Rose said at his winner’s press conference. “Maybe this is something I hadn’t done before, so I’m very satisfied.”
Although his golf game was nearly flawless, he mainly credited his mental strength for his success. “I was very disciplined this week. Of course, I played well, but I feel I managed my game wisely, was patient at the right moments, and compensated 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 untouchable at the top, the rest fought for second place. Pierceson Coody shot a 65, the best round of the day, jumping 12 places to secure that position, tied with Si Woo Kim and Roy Hisatsune. Just behind them, Stephan Jäger finished tied 5th with a total of 15 under par. He secured this result with a 68 in the final round. After missing the cut at the American Express, this was a positive sign for the new year and his best finish since the Sony Open in January 2025.
Brooks Koepka completed the tournament with a 70, finishing tied 56th, completing his first week back on the PGA Tour. The biggest change, Koepka said after the event, was that he did not know half the players. “There have been some changes in the last four years. I know half of the guys, the other half I don’t. It’s going to be an exciting year to get to know everyone, and I’m looking forward to it.”