From day one, Justin Rose led the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour, breaking a Tiger Woods record at age 45.
At 45 years old, Justin Rose dominated his competition at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour. With a seven-stroke lead and a tournament record of 23 under par, Rose secured victory at Torrey Pines. From the start, he controlled the tournament’s lead and set new scoring records after each round.
PGA Tour: Justin Rose Wins with Tournament Record
In the final round, Rose only needed a 70 to secure his comfortable win. With three birdies on the front nine, the Englishman extended his lead; he had just one bogey on the 12th hole on the back nine but had enough cushion to remain worry-free. 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 focused on during the last three holes,” Rose reflected afterwards.
“Being able to increase my lead every day is something I’m proud of as a player because it shows I could handle the pressure from start to finish, continuously improve, and keep moving forward,” Rose said in his winner’s press conference. “Maybe that’s something I hadn’t done before, so I’m very satisfied with that.”
Although his golf game was nearly flawless, Rose credited his victory mainly to mental strength. “I was very disciplined this week. Of course, I played well, but I managed my game smartly, was patient at the right moments, and made crucial putts to compensate for small errors. It was a lot of true 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 made a 65, the best round of the day, moving up 12 spots to tie for second with Si Woo Kim and Roy Hisatsune. Right behind them, Stephan Jäger secured a T5 finish with a total of 15 under par. His final round 68 helped maintain his strong position. 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 ended the tournament with a 70, finishing T56, completing his first week back on the PGA Tour. Koepka noted that half the players were new to him, saying, “In the last four years, there have been many changes. Half the guys I know; the other half I don’t. It will be an exciting year getting to know everyone, and I’m looking forward to it.”