Taiwanese golfer Kevin Yu starts hot, leads at Farmers Insurance Open
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Chinese Taipei's Kevin Yu during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open in La Jolla, California, on Jan 24.
PHOTO: AFP
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SAN DIEGO – Coming off one of his best career weeks on the PGA Tour, Chinese Taipei’s Kevin Yu kept the momentum going and grabbed the first-round lead at the Farmers Insurance Open on Jan 24 in San Diego.
Playing at Torrey Pines’ North Course, he racked up eight birdies, five of which came on the back nine where he began his round. His birdie at the par-five ninth gave him an eight-under 64 and lifted him above American Patrick Cantlay and Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune, who are tied for second after both shot 65s at the North Course.
Five golfers are two strokes back in a tie for fourth at six-under 66. That group comprised Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, Irishman Shane Lowry, Thomas Detry of Belgium, Englishman Aaron Rai and Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti, all of whom played the North Course.
Yu tied for third last week at The American Express in La Quinta, California, matching his best result in 35 career PGA Tour starts. He also tied for third at the 2022 Bermuda Championship. The momentum from the 25-year-old’s final-round 63 on Jan 21 at PGA West carried over to Torrey Pines.
“I’ve been playing very good, so just keep building momentum,” said Yu, a former world amateur No. 1 who missed four months of action after suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee last February.
“I was just trying to play my best today, just trying to hit a lot of fairways, trying to make as many putts as I can.
“Greens a little bumpy, but I’m just trying to hit like the best stroke I can out there, which I did today. So I feel really good, so really looking forward to tomorrow.”
Cantlay is back at the Farmers Insurance Open for the first time in five years, having missed the cut in two of three prior appearances at the event.
“The (2021) US Open was the last time I played here and I played so-so at the US Open,” he said, referring to his tie for 15th. “Different conditions this week, it will be a lot more wet this week. The scores should be quite a bit lower.”
Max Homa, the defending champion, carded a two-under 70 at the South Course to put himself in a tie for 48th.
The players will alternate between the two courses on Jan 24 and 25, then play the final 36 holes on the South Course. The event started on a Wednesday and concludes on Jan 27 to avoid a conflict with the National Football League conference championship games the next day. REUTERS, AFP
