The primary focus leading into the 2026 Farmers Insurance Open was Brooks Koepka’s reappearance on the PGA Tour, and his strong close on Friday, marked by a round of 68, secured his spot in the weekend rounds by just making the cut.
After recording a 73 on the more challenging South Course on Thursday, Koepka was compelled to leverage the less demanding North Course on Friday to improve his standing above the cut threshold. His trajectory seemed positive following a start on the back nine, where he carded a birdie on the 14th and an eagle on the 17th, bringing him to 2 under par, then the estimated cut line.
Nevertheless, his progress was disrupted by two unfortunate lip-outs on holes 2 and 3, which caused his tournament score to fall to 1 under. This meant Koepka faced a significant challenge over his concluding six holes on Friday to qualify for the weekend, especially as the anticipated cut line advanced to 3 under.
A birdie on the par-5 fifth brought him closer, and he secured another birdie on the par-4 seventh, reaching the 3 under cut line. He skillfully recovered for a par from the bunker next to the green on the 8th, followed by successfully making the required two-putt par on the 9th, thereby securing his participation in the weekend play in his initial PGA Tour appearance in four years.
Following his performance, Koepka commented that, considering the quality of his ball-striking on Friday, a score of 68 felt like the least favorable outcome, but he struggled to sink putts for a much lower score.
“My play was quite solid, I believe. Many of my putts just grazed the cup’s edge. I reckon my score could have been—well, 68 was probably the highest I should have shot today,” Koepka stated. “It really could have been a 64 or 65 if more putts had fallen, but that’s typical in golf. Occasionally on poa [greens], I felt my pace wasn’t assertive enough. That particular course seems slightly slower than the South. I have two additional rounds ahead, which I’m looking forward to, and it will be a challenging track—unless, I’m unsure which one Rosey is playing.”
Although Koepka is improbable to vie for the championship this weekend, commencing the third round 14 strokes behind the impressive leader Justin Rose, this still marks a commendable beginning to his comeback on the PGA Tour.
Earlier in the week, Koepka mentioned an elevated sense of unease and uncertainty regarding the reception to his return, and indeed, during his initial round, he appeared ill at ease on the demanding South Course. The shift to the North Course offered a chance for improvement but also brought the onus to perform, anticipating the cut line would continue to descend throughout the day.
Despite still hitting some errant drives, Koepka demonstrated better command over his shots and capitalized on the more forgiving of the two courses to secure his place for the weekend. While merely making cuts isn’t his primary ambition for rejoining the Tour, during a week when several prominent players—such as his playing partners Max Homa and Ludvig Åberg—are departing prematurely, Koepka’s advancement to the weekend offers him a moment to regroup and progress in his return to PGA Tour competition.
“This is significant. My aim was to participate for all four days. I’ve never received such a volume of congratulations merely for making the cut,” Koepka remarked, smiling faintly. “But truly, it’s a positive feeling. I desired to play two additional days, and I’m eager to test myself and truly assess my current game, hoping to play more assertively and achieve some strong rounds.”
Pacesetter
1. Justin Rose (-17): Holding the leading position is Rose, the victor of the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open. Echoing his performance from seven years prior, he has dramatically pulled ahead of the competition even before the weekend rounds commence. Rose maintains a four-stroke lead over the second-place contender entering the weekend, and his score of 17 under establishes a new tournament record for the lowest score relative to par after 36 holes.
Following an outstanding 2025 season where he reclaimed victory (his first since 2023), competed strongly in major tournaments, and contributed to Europe’s away Ryder Cup triumph, the 45-year-old English golfer has resumed his impressive form. Rose dominated the North Course with a round of 62 on Thursday and maintained his aggressive play on the more difficult South Course on Friday, carding a 65, which he felt might have been an even superior performance.
“My spirits are high. Clearly, those were two exceptional golf rounds,” Rose commented. “Today felt perhaps even more so, considering how challenging it often is to replicate a low score. Of course, this week involves transitioning from the simpler course to the harder one, but it was particularly gratifying to sustain that momentum out there.”
Rose singled out his strategic choices and his knack for maintaining his round’s consistency as the most satisfying aspects following his two stellar opening rounds in the tournament.
“My decision-making felt impeccable in how I handled my play,” Rose stated. “Naturally, not every shot would be flawless, but whenever I encountered slight difficulties, my putter would bail me out, or I’d show discipline when my positioning was off. I consistently aimed for the widest part of the green to afford myself a comfortable two-putt chance from about 40 feet. Therefore, I believe, overall, I managed the game exceptionally well, rather than playing flawlessly.”
Rose eventually incurred a bogey on the 12th hole, interrupting a streak of 29 immaculate holes to begin the tournament, yet he promptly rebounded by securing a birdie on the 13th, thereby compensating for the dropped shot and stabilizing his round. He concluded his performance with flair, executing a precise approach shot on the 17th to birdie the challenging par 4, and then placing a wedge shot within two feet to set up another birdie on the par-5 18th.
Rose is set to enter the weekend as the overwhelming favorite to claim his second victory at Torrey Pines and his 13th PGA Tour title. Consistent with his usual form, his exceptional iron play and putting are driving this impressive beginning; he ranks fourth in strokes gained on approach and fifth in strokes gained putting this week, establishing his significant lead.
Challengers
2. Seamus Power (-13)
T3. Joel Dahmen, Max McGreevy (-11)
5. Si Woo Kim (-10)
T6. Michael Thorbjornsen, Sahith Theegala, Maverick McNealy and three others (-9)
Both Dahmen and Power concluded their rounds with an eagle on the par-5 9th (their final hole) on the North Course, enabling them to remain relatively close to Rose’s lead. Theegala achieved an eagle by holing out from a greenside bunker on the 18th on the South Course, propelling him into the top 10.
Dahmen’s exceptional 9-under 63 stood out as the day’s best round; he registered a total of three eagles, significantly ascending the leaderboard and positioning himself for another commendable showing at Torrey Pines, following a top-10 finish last year. Power’s 66 on Friday was commendable, but his 65 on Thursday on the South Course should instill confidence as he heads into the weekend. He will require additional rounds in the 60s on the challenging South Course to close the gap on Rose.
For the remaining players, an absolutely extraordinary performance will be necessary to even contend for the victory, considering Rose’s substantial lead. Nevertheless, an early-season top-10 finish is consistently appreciated as players aim to establish their rhythm and accumulate crucial points to commence the season.
Prominent golfers failing to advance
- 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)
Latest 2026 Farmers Insurance Open betting lines and predictions
Betting figures sourced from FanDuel Sportsbook
- Justin Rose (-220)
- Seamus Power (9-1)
- Si Woo Kim (16-1)
- Max McGreevy (20-1)
- Maverick McNealy (25-1)
- Joel Dahmen (30-1)
- Michael Thorbjornsen (30-1)
Considering his past performances at this tournament (and on challenging golf courses overall), coupled with the exceptional form he’s demonstrated over the initial two days, it’s difficult to envision wagering on any player other than Rose. Nevertheless, backing a -220 favorite with still 36 holes left to play seems quite audacious. Kim’s playing style, sufficiently aggressive, might allow him to generate the low scores necessary to overcome a seven-stroke deficit on a course like the South Course. This, however, entails recognizing the risk that his assertiveness could also lead to high scores on his card, but at this stage, any wager not on Rose essentially represents a high-risk, high-reward play.
