Brooks Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour was the headline getting into the 2026 Farmers Insurance coverage Open, and after a livid end on Friday, he discovered his approach into the weekend with a 68 to make the reduce on the quantity.
Struggling on the more durable South Course on Thursday on his strategy to a 73, Koepka wanted to reap the benefits of the better North Course on Friday if he was going to claw his approach contained in the reduce line. He seemed to be trending the best route after beginning on the again 9, making a birdie on No. 14 and an eagle on No. 17 to maneuver to 2 underneath, which was the projected reduce on the time.
Nonetheless, his momentum got here to a halt with a pair of merciless lip-outs on Nos. 2 and three that dropped him again to 1 underneath for the event, and Koepka entered his ultimate six holes of Friday with severe work to do to earn his approach into the weekend because the projected reduce line moved as much as 3 underneath.
A birdie on the par-5 fifth bought him again in vary, and he added one other birdie on the par-4 seventh to get onto the reduce line at 3 underneath. He was in a position to scramble for par from the greenside bunker on No. 8 after which make the two-putt par he wanted on No. 9 to earn his approach into the weekend in his first PGA Tour occasion in 4 years.
After his spherical, Koepka mentioned, given the way in which he hit it on Friday, a 68 felt just like the worst-case situation, however he simply could not get putts to drop to actually push it deep.
“I believed I performed fairly effectively. I hit numerous good putts that burnt the sting. I really feel prefer it may’ve been — I assume 68 was form of the worst I may’ve shot in the present day,” Koepka mentioned. “It very simply may’ve been 64, 65 if a number of putts dropped, however that is golf. Generally on poa [greens], I felt the pace wasn’t fairly aggressive sufficient. I really feel like that facet may be a hair slower than the South. Bought two extra rounds to play, which I am enthusiastic about, and it is gonna be a troublesome golf course — apart from, I do not know which one Rosey’s enjoying.”
Whereas Koepka will not probably discover his approach into competition for the win this weekend, as he’ll begin the third spherical 14 pictures off chief Justin Rose’s blistering tempo, it is nonetheless a stable begin to his PGA Tour return.
Koepka spoke early within the week about feeling extra nervous than standard and never understanding precisely how everybody would reply to his return, and in his first spherical, he by no means appeared absolutely comfy on the robust South Course. Transferring to the North Course introduced a chance but additionally strain to carry out, understanding the reduce line would proceed shifting additional underneath par because the day wore on.
Whereas he nonetheless had some wayward tee pictures, Koepka appeared extra answerable for his ball and was in a position to create extra alternatives on the better of the 2 programs to get him to the weekend. Making cuts is not his final purpose in returning to the Tour, however on per week by which a number of huge names — together with enjoying companions Max Homa and Ludvig Åberg — are heading dwelling early, Koepka punching his ticket to the weekend permits him to take a deep breath and transfer ahead in his return to PGA Tour motion.
“It is enormous. I needed to be right here all 4 days. I’ve by no means gotten so many congratulations on making a reduce earlier than,” mentioned Koepka with a smirk. “However no, it feels good. I needed to play two extra days, and I am excited to problem myself and actually work out the place [my game is] at, and hopefully be just a little extra aggressive and shoot some good scores.”
Chief
1. Justin Rose (-17): On prime of the leaderboard is Rose, the 2019 Farmers Insurance coverage Open winner. Very similar to he did seven years in the past, he has darted away from the sphere earlier than the weekend even arrives. Rose is 4 pictures away from second place going into the weekend, and at 17 underneath, he set the event document for lowest rating to par after 36 holes.
After a sensational 2025 marketing campaign noticed him get again within the winner’s circle (for the primary time since 2023), contend at majors and assist Europe win a street Ryder Cup, the 45-year-old Englishman has picked up the place he left off. Rose tore up the North Course to shoot a 62 on Thursday and stored his foot on the pedal on the more durable South Course on Friday to put up a 65 that he famous was maybe even higher.
“I am feeling nice. Clearly, yeah, that was two particular rounds of golf,” Rose mentioned. “At present, in all probability much more so, simply given it is arduous to usually comply with up a low one. Clearly, this week you form of go from the straightforward course to the robust course, however it was actually form of cool to maintain momentum up on the market.”
Rose highlighted his decision-making and skill to maintain the spherical on monitor because the factor that made him happiest after two sensational rounds to start out his event.
“I felt like decision-making was spot on when it comes to how I managed my sport,” Rose mentioned. “And clearly each shot was not going to be excellent on the market, however after I was in just a little little bit of bother, the putter would come by for me or I would be disciplined with after I was barely out of place. Actually performed for the fats of the inexperienced and [to] give myself like a great two-putt alternative from 40 toes. So I felt like all in all I managed the sport — managed the sport rather well, greater than performed completely.”
Rose did lastly make a bogey on the twelfth gap after beginning the event with 29 consecutive holes with no blemish, however he bounced again instantly to erase that bogey off the cardboard with a birdie on the thirteenth to proper the ship. He closed out his spherical in model, stuffing his strategy on the seventeenth to make a birdie on the troublesome par 4 after which dialed in a wedge to inside two toes to arrange a birdie on the par-5 18th.
Rose will head into the weekend because the sturdy favourite to select up his second profession win at Torrey Pines and thirteenth PGA Tour title of his profession. As is usually the case with Rose, it is his iron play and placing that’s main the way in which to a sizzling begin, as he is fourth in strokes gained strategy and fifth in strokes gained placing for the week to create his benefit on prime.
Contenders
2. Seamus Energy (-13)
T3. Joel Dahmen, Max McGreevy (-11)
5. Si Woo Kim (-10)
T6. Michael Thorbjornsen, Sahith Theegala, Maverick McNealy and three others (-9)
Dahmen and Energy each ended their spherical with an eagle on the par-5 ninth (their 18th) on the North Course to remain considerably inside contact of Rose on the prime. Theegala holed a bunker shot for eagle on the 18th on the South Course to leap into the highest 10.
Dahmen’s 9-under 63 was the spherical of the day, as he carded three eagles whole on his spherical to make a serious transfer up the leaderboard and set himself up for one more sturdy end at Torrey Pines after a prime 10 end a yr in the past. Energy’s 66 on Friday was stable, however it’s his 65 from Thursday on the South Course that has to offer him confidence going into the weekend. He’ll want some extra rounds within the 60s on the troublesome South Course if he’ll monitor down Rose.
The remainder will want one thing really spectacular to have an opportunity on the win, given the lead Rose has constructed, however a prime 10 this early within the season is all the time welcome as guys attempt to get their toes underneath them and decide up essential factors to start out the season.
Notable gamers who missed the reduce
- Xander Schauffele (-2)
- Patrick Cantlay (-2)
- Max Greyserman (-2)
- Will Zalatoris (-1)
- J.J. Spaun (E)
- Akshay Bhatia (+1)
- Max Homa (+1)
- Billy Horschel (+5)
- Ludvig Åberg (+6)
Up to date 2026 Farmers Insurance coverage Open odds, picks
Odds through FanDuel Sportsbook
- Justin Rose (-220)
- Seamus Energy (9-1)
- Si Woo Kim (16-1)
- Max McGreevy (20-1)
- Maverick McNealy (25-1)
- Joel Dahmen (30-1)
- Michael Thorbjornsen (30-1)
Given his historical past at this occasion (and hard golf programs on the whole) in addition to the shape he is proven the primary two days, I am unsure the way you guess anybody apart from Rose. That mentioned, taking a -220 favourite with 36 holes to go feels steep. Kim is the man who performs an aggressive-enough model that might result in him creating alternatives to shoot the form of scores wanted to erase a seven-shot deficit at a course just like the South Course. Now, that comes with the understanding he additionally may get overly aggressive and put some huge numbers on the cardboard, however at this level, in the event you’re taking any place apart from Rose, it’s a must to swing on upside.
