Ludvig Aberg, Lanto Griffin tied for lead at golf’s Farmers Insurance Open

SAN DIEGO – Ludvig Aberg of Sweden finished off a three-over 75 after sunset on Jan 23 in San Diego but still shares the lead at the Farmers Insurance Open with Lanto Griffin.

The second round of the golf tournament was suspended for an hour and 26 minutes in the afternoon due to high winds. It resumed at 3.31pm local time, but 29 players did not finish their rounds before darkness fell and action was suspended.

Aberg hit his third shot at the par-five 18th hole of Torrey Pines’ South Course into a greenside bunker around the same time the horn sounded to signal a suspension for darkness. He chose to finish out the hole, hit out of the bunker to three feet of the pin and tapped in for par.

“Obviously, the South Course is pretty hard even when you play it in 75 (degree weather) and no wind at all,” Aberg said. “Adding some 30 mile (48km) an hour gusts and sustained 15, it makes it pretty difficult. Felt like we hung in there quite well and gave ourselves a chance over the weekend.”

It was a relieving end to a frustrating round for the first-round leader, who had two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey on his card. The world No. 6 will still be a favourite entering the final two rounds, which will be played at the South Course, after golfers split the first two rounds between the North and South courses.

Griffin, who had a first-round 66 and was three shots off Aberg’s pace, balanced three birdies with three bogeys en route to a 72 at the South Course.

Griffin acknowledged being fortunate he played the North Course on Jan 22.

“The North greens are a little crustier, a little dried out so I could definitely notice with these dry conditions today, it would have been really hard to putt,” he said on Jan 23. “That’s crazy that it played tougher because it felt like the South played brutal.”

Griffin and Aberg lead Danny Walker (74, North Course) by one shot. Tied for fourth were Chris Gotterup (69, North Course), South Korea’s Im Sung-jae (71, North) and Hayden Springer (75, South) at four under.

“Just a crazy day, for sure,” Walker said of the conditions.

“One of those days where you can’t even think about what you’re shooting, just got to do your best to hit every shot and just accept whatever happens.”

Meanwhile, The 2027 British Open will be played at St Andrews in Scotland, widely considered the “Home Of Golf”, tournament organisers the R&A announced on Jan 23.

The 155th edition of the sport’s oldest Major will take place from July 15 to 18 as it returns to the Old Course for the first time since 2022. REUTERS, AFP