Hot start paces Ludvig Aberg to lead at Farmers Insurance Open
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Leader Ludvig Aberg of Sweden hitting out of a greenside bunker on the 10th hole during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open 2025.
PHOTO: AFP
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SAN DIEGO – Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg shot a nine-under 63 on the Torrey Pines North Course to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open on Jan 22 in San Diego.
Danny Walker and Hayden Springer each delivered an opening round of seven-under 65 to tie for second place. Walker had the best score of the day on the more difficult South Course, even if it wasn’t the lowest.
A group of four, consisting of Americans Lanto Griffin, Zac Blair, Zach Johnson and South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter, tied for fourth place at six-under 66. All four played on the North Course.
Aberg opened his round on the back nine and got off to a fast start with birdies on four of his first five holes. He delivered an eagle three on the 520-yard 17th hole and shot a 30 on his opening nine holes.
After another birdie on his 10th hole of the day, Aberg delivered his only bogey on the 495-yard par-four second hole, then finished his day with three more birdies.
“Felt like I was driving the ball really well. Golf becomes a lot easier when you can do that,” Aberg said, after his lowest-scoring opening round as a member of the PGA Tour.
“Even though North is a little bit easier than South, it still presents its challenges and you’ve still got to hit the shots. Super happy with the way we kind of came out of the gates today and played some good golf.”
Walker carded his 65 while hitting all 18 greens in regulation to become just the 12th player to accomplish the feat on the South Course. The PGA Tour rookie is the first to do it since Martin Laird in 2019.
It was a day when everything clicked for the American, who said: “Yeah, it was just fairways and greens.
“One of those days where driver was working (and) really just never forced the issue out there. Was really just trying to hit the middle of the green a lot of times and then rolled in some putts.”
Springer used his own fast start to wind up seven under. He was three under through two holes after an eagle three at No. 10 of the North Course, which was his first hole of the day.
“We’re just going to try to plan to figure out where those (safe) spots are and then just be patient,” said Springer, who made it into the tournament as an alternate.
“That’s the biggest thing out there. You can make some birdies, but you can also make some mistakes. Just trying to be patient and put it in the right spots.”
Aberg, 25, has one victory on the PGA Tour, winning the RSM Classic in November 2023 in Georgia. He also won the European Masters in September 2023 in Switzerland.
Defending champion Matthieu Pavon of France struggled to a one-over 73 on the South Course and is tied for 100th place.
The four-day tournament concludes on Jan 25, eschewing a traditional Sunday finish in order to avoid going up against the National Football League’s American Football Conference and National Football Conference championship games on television. REUTERS
