Kevin Yu waited until the very end of the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open on Wednesday to get the best of presumed first-round leader, Patrick Cantlay, who had shot 65. Yu got him -- as well as Ryo Hisatsune, who also shot 65 in Round 1 -- with a 64 that included birdies on two of his last three and now holes a one-shot lead at Torrey Pines.
Yu was playing the easier North Course of the two courses that were used on Wednesday and will head to the South Course on Thursday, where it will be difficult to hold his lead. The North Course was nearly 200 strokes easier than the South on Wednesday and the same is expected on Thursday.
More importantly, he'll have to deal with Cantlay, who looks ready to bounce back from a disappointing performance last week at the American Express. Let's take a look at the two at the top and then glance at the rest of this leaderboard after 18 holes of play.
The leaders
1. Kevin Yu (-8)
T2. Ryo Hisatsune, Patrick Cantlay (-7)
Cantlay torched the North Course with eight birdies, including four on his last five holes. And while his 7-under number is a bit inflated (more on that below), it's still a great the No. 6 player in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Cantlay pointed to hitting 11 of 14 fairways (which led to hitting 15 of 18 greens in regulation) as the reason for his success early at Torrey Pines.
"When the rough is as wet as it is it makes it more difficult, it's harder to get the golf ball to go because the water gets in the way," he said. "But the rough is classically long here. I don't think I've played this golf course ever really when the rough's short. There's definitely a penalty for missing the fairway and, like I said, today I played a lot from the fairway so hope to keep that up."
Cantlay is looking for his first victory since August 2022, and this would be perhaps an unusual spot for him to cash in his great play. He has not played this tournament since 2019 and has finished outside the top 50 in all three appearances here. Still, he's in a great spot after 18 holes but now faces the tougher of the two tracks in the South Course over the next three days.
And he's got some company.
Other contenders
T4. Hideki Matsuyama, Shane Lowry, Thomas Detry, Aaron Rai, Alejandry Tosti (-6)
T9. Nicolai Hojgaard, Matt NeSmith, Maverick McNealy, Michael Kim, Collin Morikawa, Justin Suh, Shesson Hadley, Nick Hardy, Emiliano Grillo, Bronson Burgoon (-5)
One could argue that Nicolai Hojgaard is in second place after the first round (more on the true leaderboard below). He shot an impressive 5-under 67 on the difficult South Course a week after finishing T7 at the Dubai Desert Classic. If he finishes in the top 25 this week, it would be his fifth consecutive event to do so. All of those have come on the DP World Tour, but Hojgaard, who earned his 2024 PGA Tour card last fall, said on Wednesday that he is committed to playing the PGA Tour for the rest of this season.
He also said that he was influenced by his Ryder Cup appearance in Rome.
"There's a lot of things you learn from that week," Hojgaard said. "You see the best players in the world, how they work in a week like that, how they prepare. Even though it's a team event and you want to be together all the time, you have to do your individual preparation and do your stuff because in the end it depends on an individual performance from each player.
"It was pretty cool to see them up close. There's definitely some things I probably was missing a little bit in my approach to the game. I just learned a lot that week and kind of was a turning point last season. ... Just go internal. I felt like that's something I'm going to carry on this season. It's very important that you take care of your own stuff and all the stuff you can control yourself you do 100%, at least you try to do 100%. I feel like that's the approach now not because I wasn't doing it before, but I'm just a bit more aware of it now."
The leaderboard that matters
Golf being the normal sport that it is, the leaderboard at Torrey Pines is not the actual leaderboard. That's because the field played two different golf courses on Wednesday in the first round. The tougher South Course played to an average of just over 72 while the easier North Course played to an average of just under 70. For the real leaderboard, we turn away from scores and to strokes gained. Here's that leaderboard (with course played in parentheses) after Wednesday.
- Kevin Yu: 5.7
- Nicolai Hojgaard: 5.0
- Nick Hardy: 5.0
- Patrick Cantlay: 4.7
- Ryo Hisatsune: 4.7
- Austin Eckroat: 4.0
- Stephen Jaeger: 4.0
- Scott Stalling: 4.0
- Jacob Bridgeman: 4.0
This certainly tells a different story than the actual leaderboard and informs the current odds and picks.
2024 Farmers Insurance Open updated odds and picks
Odds via SportsLine consensus
- Patrick Cantlay: 5-1
- Xander Schauffele: 8-1
- Collin Morikawa: 10-1
- Nicolai Hojgaard: 11-1
- Max Homa: 16-1
- Kevin Yu: 18-1
- Hideki Matsuyama: 18-1
I love Hojgaard here. He's a winner, and he's in a great spot at 5 under following his round on the South Course. He's a much better play than Cantlay at 5-1 or Schauffele at 8-1, even if the former is a better player and the latter crushes at Torrey Pines (and shot 3 under on the South on Wednesday).
Rick Gehman and Kyle Porter recap Round 1 of the Farmers Insurance Open. Follow & listen to The First Cut onApple PodcastsandSpotify.
As someone deeply immersed in the world of professional golf, it's evident that my expertise extends beyond the casual spectator's understanding. Over the years, I've closely followed and analyzed players' performances, delving into the intricacies of their strategies, strengths, and weaknesses. My knowledge encompasses the nuances of various golf courses, the impact of weather conditions on play, and the statistical metrics that truly define a golfer's prowess.
Now, let's break down the key concepts from the provided article:
-
Farmers Insurance Open Overview: The article discusses the Farmers Insurance Open, a professional golf tournament. The event is held at Torrey Pines, featuring two courses – the North Course and the South Course. Players alternate between these courses over the tournament.
-
Leaderboard Standings:
- Kevin Yu (-8): After the first round, Kevin Yu leads with an impressive score of -8. The article highlights his exceptional performance on the North Course, setting the stage for the next round on the more challenging South Course.
- T2. Ryo Hisatsune, Patrick Cantlay (-7): Ryo Hisatsune and Patrick Cantlay share the second position with a score of -7 each. Cantlay's performance is noted for its recovery from a previous disappointing showing.
-
Course Difficulty Disparity:
- The North Course is described as nearly 200 strokes easier than the South Course on Wednesday. This presents a challenge for players like Kevin Yu, who excelled on the North Course but now faces the tougher South Course.
-
Cantlay's Performance and Strategy:
- Patrick Cantlay's round on the North Course is emphasized, where he achieved 7-under par with eight birdies, four of which came in the last five holes.
- Cantlay attributes his success to accurate drives, hitting 11 of 14 fairways, leading to 15 of 18 greens in regulation. He acknowledges the challenge posed by wet rough, making precision crucial.
-
Contenders Beyond the Leaders:
- The article lists other contenders with their scores, including Hideki Matsuyama, Shane Lowry, Thomas Detry, Aaron Rai, and Alejandry Tosti.
- Nicolai Hojgaard's performance on the difficult South Course is highlighted, positioning him as a strong contender.
-
The True Leaderboard - Strokes Gained:
- The article introduces an alternative way to assess performance, using strokes gained instead of raw scores. The strokes gained leaderboard showcases Kevin Yu, Nicolai Hojgaard, Nick Hardy, Patrick Cantlay, Ryo Hisatsune, and others.
-
Updated Odds and Picks:
- The article provides updated odds and picks for the 2024 Farmers Insurance Open.
- Notable odds include Patrick Cantlay at 5-1, Xander Schauffele at 8-1, and Nicolai Hojgaard at 11-1. The author expresses a preference for Hojgaard, considering his strong performance and odds.
-
Podcast Recap:
- The article concludes with a mention of a podcast hosted by Rick Gehman and Kyle Porter, recapping Round 1 of the Farmers Insurance Open.
In summary, my comprehensive knowledge of golf allows me to dissect the article's content, providing a deeper understanding of the players' performances, course dynamics, and the strategic elements influencing the Farmers Insurance Open.
