It wasn’t quite storm Eowyn, but strong winds wreaked havoc on the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines as play was suspended.
Shane Lowry, normally a strong player in the wind, would have been relieved to hear the siren sound as golf balls blew away on the greens as did potentially his chances of winning as he lost control after a fast start.
Teeing off on the easier North Course, Lowry came out of the traps quickly with birdies on the 10th, 13th and 18th. But as the wind grew stronger the Clara man found the going difficult and his good work unraveled.
The 2019 Open champion who still seeks his first regular individual win on the PGA TOUR bogeyed the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th before the hooter put him out of his misery.
It leaves Lowry in a share of 65th place, one shot above the projected cut mark and eight shots off the lead held by Ludvig Åberg who had been enduring his own struggles at two-over through 12 hole of his second round.
Âberg holds a slender one shot lead on seven-under head of Harry Springer with Lanton Griffin and amateur sensation Luke Clanton a shot further back.
Amazingly, Clanton could earn a full PGA TOUR card with a top-5 finish this weekend while he already boasts an Official World Golf Ranking of 95 thanks to his meteoric rise.
Eric Cole is sitting pretty on three-under after an excellent round of 71 on the South Course despite a closing bogey and he described the swirling winds.
“Yeah, no, it was extremely difficult. It started really blowing on like our second or third hole, so we had a solid six holes of really heavy winds. Then it almost died down and switched directions for a few holes around 10, 10, 11, 12, something like that. Very tricky and very unique. I know it can blow here a little, but it just seemed like extra gusty and kind of switching directions for a little, so it made it tough.”
The American was happy to be finished and he can look forward to a well earned rest while some of his fellow pros may have to return on Friday to complete their rounds.
“Yeah, it feels great. I obviously wish I wouldn’t have bogeyed the last hole, but to be done and just be able to say that a day like this is over and I don’t have to finish the round off is a great feeling and looking forward to relaxing the rest of the day.”
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