Wind storm in Torrey Pines, the title Pavon eliminated, Rozner in favorable ballot

A year after his feat, Matthieu Pavon did not know the same emotions in San Diego, far from it. Even if the wind storm forced the organizers to stop the game and the darkness did not allow the 2nd round to end completely, the title holder of the Farmers Insurance open will not play this weekend. No more than Victor Perez. Antoine Rozner is off to qualify.

Twelve months later, Matthieu Pavon therefore experienced opposite winds on the lands of its historical triumph. The first French winner on the PGA Tour was in fact The first to defend its title. The least we can say is that the defense of this crown was not the one he hoped for. The fault of a big erratic game during the first round, the fault of a second day very disappointing on the course a priori The easiest of both, the North Course.

Except that the weather has rebuilt the cards. Banned by the winds with gusts at more than 40 km/h, the route that was played the day before on average two strokes less than the South Course was this Friday the most difficult to score. The regulars of the place such as the veteran Joel Dahmen assured that they had never seen so much wind in Torrey Pines. And it was the North Course that was the most affected.

Pavon, the false departure

Already in difficulty in catching the greens in regulation the day before, Matthieu Pavon was unlucky enough to be in the “bad” rotation. The Bordeaux conceded a heavy 80, obviously crippling. There will be better days for him this season. It was his back to school week on the PGA Tour. It is undoubtedly to be forgotten.

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He also in the running on the North Course, Victor Perez barely done better than the 2024 winner of the “farmers”. The Tarbais did not recover from a fairly catastrophic start (+4 after 4 holes). With a sad 76, he too is eliminated, certainly less clearly. He misses two shots on the clock to cross a cut located at +1, a rarity for a regular PGA Tour tournament.

Rozner, it's almost done

But the three musketeers in the running this week have not all failed. The good surprise came from the one we expected (perhaps) a little less. Brilliant the day before on a north race spared by the whims of Éole, Antoine Rozner tightened the teeth and held the bar on the difficult south race. Admittedly, it is not yet guaranteed to cross the cut. After an interruption of play because of the too powerful wind, the game resumed, but the delayed could not be caught.

As with a few players, there are holes to play in Rozner in this 2nd round. In this case two. It is currently at -1 total. Even with two bogeys on Saturday morning at the fresh, it will pass…

Åberg holds the course

With narrow courses, thick reds, ultra fast greens and a violent wind, the average score of the day was heavy. Very heavy. Some have been able to resist better than others. But the leaders are only -6.

Ludvig Åberg Signed a 75 (+3) which allows him to stay in the lead, alongside the American Lanto Griffin.

The top of the leaderboard is also occupied by much less anticipated players than the great Swedish. This is the case for the 294th world and rookie on the PGA Tour Danny Walker. There is even an amateur who plays the leading roles.

But see the amateur appear Luke Clanton, In the 7th row is a half-shift: second in the RSM Classic last November, he already slammed 4 Top 10 in 2024. In the event of Top 5 Sunday the young Floridian would obtain his card on the PGA Tour.

As for one of the headliners of the tournament, Max Homahe sailed at +11 with three holes to play. The Ryder Cup player preferred to throw in the towel. “” “It was just survival today”Said his great friend Joel Dahmen. When the game was interrupted by the dark 5 other players won in the rankings also withdrew: Philip Knowles, David Lipsky, Max McGreevy, Paul Peterson and Kevin Roy

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Photo LINTAO ZHANG / GETTY IMAGES ASIAPAC / Getty Images via AFP