Justin Rose Sets 36-Hole Record At Farmers Insurance Open

The 2026 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines is shaping up to be one for the record books, with Justin Rose blazing a trail atop the leaderboard after two rounds of inspired golf. Rose, the 2019 Farmers champion and the only player in his 40s to win on the PGA Tour in 2025, is proving that experience and poise still matter—even when the competition is fierce and the stakes are sky-high. With a total prize purse of $9.6 million and a winner’s share of $1.728 million, there’s plenty on the line in La Jolla, California, this week.

Rose’s performance has been nothing short of electrifying. On Thursday, he tore up the North Course with a bogey-free, 10-under 62, knocking down 10 birdies and making the most of nearly every opportunity. “It’s funny how you can walk off frustrated for sure,” Rose reflected after his round. “I mean, I think the only thing it was just a little tricky putt, and I second guessed it a little bit, played a little bit more break and tried to put it on a speed to let it break, and it just kind of like kind of dove across the hole. But no, listen, I made my share out there today.”

That opening salvo gave him a one-shot lead over Justin Lower, who carded a 63 on the North, while Hideki Matsuyama and Max Greyserman were close behind at 8-under. Seamus Power posted the lowest score on the South Course with a 7-under 65, a testament to how much tougher that layout plays compared to its sibling. In fact, the South averaged 72.482 strokes in round one, while the North played nearly three-and-a-half shots easier at 69.139.

Rose’s Friday round on the South Course was equally impressive, if not more so. He fired a 7-under 65, mixing six birdies and an eagle with just one bogey, to reach a staggering 17-under par and set a new 36-hole scoring record at Torrey Pines—besting his previous mark by two shots. “I’m feeling great. Obviously, yeah, that was two special rounds of golf. Today probably even more so just given it’s hard to often follow up a low one,” Rose said. “Obviously this week you kind of go from the easy course to the tough course but it was really kind of cool to keep momentum up out there. I felt like decision making was spot on in terms of how I managed my game, and obviously every shot was not going to be perfect out there, but when I was in a little bit of trouble, the putter would come through for me or I’d be disciplined.”

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Rose, though. On the par-four 12th hole Friday, his approach from a fairway bunker caught the lip and shot straight into the thick rough, resulting in his only bogey of the week so far. But his resilience shone through, as he rebounded with birdies to finish strong, weathering even the discomfort of being put on the clock for slow play. “Everything felt uncomfortable actually for sort of an hour, hour and a half,” Rose admitted. “I felt like I weathered that storm of the round where I felt like out of my routine, out of my flow, out of my out of the zone but kind of did a good job of managing my game for that period and obviously the two birdies to finish made it a really strong day.”

Seamus Power remains Rose’s closest pursuer, sitting at 13-under after two rounds, while Joel Dahmen and Max McGreevy are tied for third at 11-under. Dahmen’s story is particularly compelling—he only entered the field as an alternate after Patton Kizzire withdrew, and he quickly made his presence felt by eagling the par-5 10th hole on Friday and climbing into the top 10. Justin Lower, who’s been playing with his mind partly at home—his wife is 34 weeks pregnant with twins—sits in a tie for sixth at 9-under, a testament to his focus despite off-course distractions. “If I’m being really truthful with everyone, my mind’s not really here,” Lower told reporters. “My wife is 34 weeks pregnant with twins and I’m just trying to get home on Monday, honestly, to try to help everything out as much as I can. Luckily we have family close and everything. She’s going through it right now. Life’s about to get real if it wasn’t real already.”

One of the biggest headlines outside the top of the leaderboard is the return of Brooks Koepka to the PGA Tour after nearly four years with LIV Golf. Koepka’s first round back was a bit rusty—a 1-over 74 on the South—but he rallied on Friday with a 4-under 68 on the North, making the cut right on the number at 3-under. He capped off his second round with two birdies in his last five holes and a steady two-putt par on the par-5 ninth. “Koepka made his PGA Tour return Thursday at the Farmers Insurance Open, signing for a 1-over 74 at Torrey Pines South Course. The five-time major champion showed a bit of rust, especially with the driver, but a birdie on the closing hole put a good taste on what was a nervous return after leaving LIV Golf late last year,” reported Golfweek. Koepka’s eagle on the par-5 17th Friday was the 99th of his PGA Tour career, and it gave him just the boost he needed to play the weekend.

Not everyone fared so well. Xander Schauffele, who had made 72 consecutive cuts since the 2022 Masters, saw his streak come to an end after shooting a 73 on the South in round one. Schauffele was born just across the road from Torrey Pines and is a fan favorite, but this time the local knowledge wasn’t enough to carry him through.

As for the venue itself, Torrey Pines continues to draw rave reviews. The South Course, designed by William F. Bell and Rees Jones, is ranked No. 4 among public-access golf courses in California for 2025 and No. 124 on Golfweek’s Best 200 Classic Courses in the U.S. The North isn’t far behind, coming in at No. 10 in California. Both are municipal facilities, with residents paying $73 to $90 for a round, while non-residents fork out between $258 and $322, depending on the day.

With two rounds in the books, Rose’s blend of precision, mental toughness, and course management has set him apart. The action is far from over, though. The weekend promises more drama, with a hungry chasing pack, a returning major champion eager to make a statement, and a course that can bite back at any moment. Golf fans won’t want to miss a single shot as the 2026 Farmers Insurance Open heads into its decisive stages at Torrey Pines.