SAN DIEGO — Ludvig Åberg and Lanto Griffin shared the lead Thursday at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, as powerful winds caused an 86-minute delay and left dozens of players unable to complete their second rounds.
First-round leader Åberg carded a 3-over 75, while Griffin posted a 72 — both on the South Course — leaving them tied at 6-under 138.
Danny Walker sat at 5 under, with Chris Gotterup matching the day’s best score of 69 to join Hayden Springer and Sungjae Im at 4 under.
Players faced erratic wind gusts exceeding 35 mph on the iconic coastal course, better known for its marine-layer fog than turbulent weather. The gusts were so strong they shifted stationary balls and sent hats flying, prompting marshals to suspend play.
“Throw the score out the window,” said Griffin, who regained his PGA Tour card at Q-School last month. “On a normal day, 72 is good on this course, but today was just about grinding. Walking to the 13th tee, it started gusting 35 mph, so certain shots were brutal. It was about holding on, trying to save pars, and sneaking in a birdie or two.”
Play was halted at 2:05 p.m. local time and resumed at 6:31 p.m., forcing players to hurry through their rounds under slightly diminished but still challenging conditions.
The North Course, more exposed to the ocean, proved particularly punishing. World No. 4 Hideki Matsuyama endured the erratic winds, watching putts veer off course in frustration. Despite the challenges, Matsuyama managed a 75 and made the cut at 1 under.
Scores on both courses reflected the extreme conditions. After a relatively calm opening round where the South Course averaged 72.16 and the North Course 70.13, Thursday’s averages skyrocketed to 75.53 and 75.2, respectively.
“It was extremely difficult,” said Eric Cole, who completed his second-round 71 just before the stoppage and sat three shots off the lead. “We had six holes of really heavy wind. Then it died down, switched directions, and became even trickier. It felt extra gusty and unpredictable, which made it tough.”
No player escaped the day unscathed, as the wind sent clouds of dirt and sand swirling into the Pacific.
Adding to the drama, a brush fire broke out about four miles south of Torrey Pines near the UC San Diego campus, burning three acres before 175 firefighters contained its progress, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue.
Meanwhile, some players opted out of finishing. Defending champion Max Homa withdrew during the delay, citing illness after back-to-back tough rounds.
Amateur Luke Clanton, a Florida State junior, surged early on the front nine but faltered with three bogeys in the worst of the wind. He paused play with his second-round tee shot on the 17th resting in the rough, set to resume Friday.
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