From day one, Justin Rose led the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour, breaking a Tiger Woods record at age 45.
At 45, Justin Rose left his competitors 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 convincingly at Torrey Pines. He maintained the tournament lead 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 extended his lead. There was only one bogey on the 12th hole on the back nine, but Rose had ample buffer to remain unconcerned. 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 concentrated on during the final three holes,\” Rose said afterward.
\”The fact that I could extend my lead every day is something I’m naturally proud of as a player, because it feels like managing pressure from start to finish and continuously improving,\” Rose said at his winner’s press conference. \”Maybe it’s something I hadn’t achieved before, so I’m very satisfied.\”
While there was little to criticize about his golf game, Rose attributed his success mainly to his mental performance. \”I was very disciplined this week. Of course, I played well, but I managed my game thoughtfully, was patient at the right moments, and compensated for small mistakes by sinking the right putts. There was a lot of real mental maturity from a strategic golf perspective.\”
Stephan Jäger finishes in the Top 5
With Rose uncatchable at the top, the rest fought for second place. Pierceson Coody shot a 65, the best round of the day, moving up 12 spots to share second place with Si Woo Kim and Roy Hisatsune. Just behind them was Stephan Jäger at T5, finishing with 15 under par. A 68 helped him secure his good result. While in previous days Jäger alternated between birdie power and bogey struggles, the final day featured a mix of both. Three inaccurate shots resulted in bogeys, but seven birdies kept him 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 T56, marking his first week back on the PGA Tour. The biggest change, Koepka noted, was not recognizing half the players: \”In the last four years, there have been some changes. I know half the guys, the other half I don’t. It’s going to be an exciting year getting to know everyone, and I’m looking forward to it.\”