LOS ANGELES • Norway’s Viktor Hovland snatched a one-stroke lead after shooting a seven-under 65 on Friday at the Farmers Insurance Open at a cold, rainy Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego.

The 23-year-old, who started on the 10th hole of the South Course, recorded five birdies and one bogey in his first nine holes. He added three more birdies on the front nine, sinking a seven-footer on the finishing hole to grab the outright lead at nine-under 135.

“Playing a hard golf course and then playing well, that I think is what gives me the ultimate kind of belief that I played really well today,” said Hovland, who is in position to win for the second time in three PGA Tour starts. “You just can’t really fake it.

“But it’s another day (Saturday) and we’ve got two more rounds left, so it’s definitely not going to roll over and give anything to you.”

A shot back are Tony Finau, Lanto Griffin, Ryan Palmer, Patrick Reed, Spain’s Jon Rahm and Australia’s Adam Scott.

Reed, who shared the first-round lead after a 64 on the North Course on Thursday, shot 72 on Friday on the South Course.

Finau (67), Rahm (67), Palmer (70) played the North Course on Friday while Scott (69) and Griffin (70) toured the South Course.

Hovland won the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Playa del Carmen, Mexico, last month, then tied for third in the DP World Championship at Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He tied for 31st at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii earlier this month.

Reed’s up-and-down round featured four bogeys and four birdies.

“It was a little tough playing obviously the South Course compared to the North with those conditions, but at the same time we had the scoreable course yesterday with still and kind of calm conditions,” he said. “It’s one of those days that kind of evened out. Now everyone’s out there on the South the next two days and go out and have a shoot-out.”

Five-time Major champion Phil Mickelson (72), who lives in the San Diego area, birdied his final two holes to make the cut at 143.

REUTERS

Last modified: January 31, 2021