The wind whipped up and took the scores with it on Thursday in the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
Wind gusts reached more than 35 mph — enough to move balls on the green and force an 86-minute suspension of play that prevented the round from being completed.
With 29 golfers still on the course when darkness came, the clubhouse leaders were Ludvig Aberg and Lanto Griffin. Both were at 6-under midway through the tournament.
First-round co-leader Aberg shot a 3-over 75 on the South Course, allowing Lanto to draw even with an even-par 72 on the South.
“Throw the score out the window — a normal day 72’s good on this golf course and today was just head-down grind,” Griffin said. “The goal on the back — I didn’t make a birdie on the front — the goal on the back nine was just to make a birdie, get some momentum going.”
Lanto called the conditions “brutal” when winds gusted to an estimated 35 mph as he walked to the tee box on the 614-yard 13th hole.
“So it was kind of hang on for dear life, try and save pars on the majority of the holes and sprinkle in a birdie or two,” he said.
Danny Walker, who shared the first-round lead with Aberg, was a stroke behind the leaders following a 2-over 74 on the North.
“A crazy day, for sure,” Walker said. “One of those days where you can’t even think about what you’re shooting, just got to do your best to hit every shot and just accept whatever happens. So much of where the ball’s going to go is just out of your control. Did my best to just keep a level head and just take it one shot at a time. It’s all you could do.”
Three other players — Hayden Springer, Chris Gotterup and Sungjae Im — are two strokes behind he leaders.
Gotterup moved into contention by posting one of the low rounds of the day, a 3-under 69 on the North. Jason Day (tied for 26th, five strokes back) also had a 69 on the North. No one else could make such a claim.
The best score on the South also was a 3-under 69, carded by Jackson Suber, who was tied for 14th at 2-under for the tournament.
Amateur Luke Clanton, a Florida State junior, played himself onto the leaderboard by shooting 1-under through 16 holes on the South. That placed him with six others at 3 under, though Clanton and Will Gordon still have to finish their rounds.
Clanton has a chance at the Farmers to earn his PGA Tour card through the tour’s Accelerated program, which allows top college players to earn tour cards based on what they do in amateur, college and pro golf events. A top-five finish in the Farmers would get Clanton three points, getting him to the 20 points needed to receive his card.
The second round was scheduled to be completed Friday morning at 7:30. The third round will begin moments thereafter for the 65 players (and ties) who survive the cut that is projected at plus-1. The final two rounds are played on the South Course.
Defending champion Matthieu Pavon will not be among them after shooting a second-day 80 (North) that put him at 9-over for the tournament. Max Homa, the 2023 Farmers champion, withdrew during the wind delay with three holes to play. Homa was 4-over for the tournament when he withdrew.