Herbert takes one-shot lead into Irish Open final

SAN DIEGO – FedExCup champion Justin Rose is going to take some catching at Torrey Pines. The world’s top ranked player methodically picked apart Torrey Pines with his irons for the second day running, posting a 6-under 66 on the tougher South Course. The nine-time PGA TOUR winner moved to a Farmers Insurance Open record equaling 15-under 129 at the halfway point. He sits three clear of his nearest competitor Hideki Matsuyama and five clear of Jon Rahm (72), Ryan Palmer (67) and Bill Horschel (68) who share third. Traditionally things get tough on weekends at the South Course that has hosted and will again host the U.S. Open (2008, 2021). Many players have come back to the field and folded from in front. Trouble lurks amongst the deep rough and tricky wind gusts. Last season the 36-hole lead was 11-under but 10-under entered a playoff Sunday. Three years ago 9-under was the halfway mark but 6-under won. Four and five years ago the lead at halfway was 10-under but 9-under was a playoff or win … you get the drift. At the end of the day Rose loves this trend. Because he loves it tough. He is a former U.S. Open winner. Even Friday when a few of his opening drives found their way to fairway sand traps Rose was able to step up with his irons and make birdies. MUST READS: Round 2, Farmers Insurance Open Tiger fails to take advantage of easier North Course McIlroy, Scott in contention in first starts at Farmers Matsuyama in solo second after back-to-back 66s Rose has hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation each round so far and leads the field in Strokes Gained: Approach at 5.025. He does not intend to take his foot off the gas either. “Listen, it’s the halfway point. If I had a three-shot lead going into Sunday, then it would be worth kind of thinking about game plan and strategy, but as of now I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing,â€� Rose said of his mindset. “If you can go out and make four, five birdies a day, you’re going to maybe drop the odd shot around here, it doesn’t take much to do that, so if you can stay positive and make your birdies, then it becomes harder to catch someone. “I’ll just pick my moments really and if I’m feeling good and I’ve got good numbers, go at it. If not, par’s never a bad score here.â€� Rose has finished T4 and T8 at Torrey Pines the last two seasons after failing to finish in the top-10 in his first seven Farmers Insurance Open attempts. Knocking some rust off last week at the Desert Classic, a tournament more suited to great putting rather than premium ball-striking, has him in great shape. He knew it would be an educational effort to prime him going forward. “Mentally I learned a lot last week,â€� he said of his T34 finish. “I got a good read on my game, what I had to work on coming into this week. Torrey sort of does fit my profile, and statistically, driving, iron play over the years, those have been strong elements of my game.â€� If they continue to be strong elements over the weekend Rose will hit double digit TOUR wins for sure.

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The Monday qualifier for this week’s Palmetto Championship at Congaree was held a day early to accommodate U.S. Open qualifying, but it didn’t lack any of the inherent drama. The final spot in the Palmetto field came down to an eight-man playoff, which was won by Brant Peaper. Akshay Bhatia, Hayden Springer, Garrett Osborn, Stewart Jolly, Peyton White, Charles Huntzinger and Evan Grenus joined Peaper in the playoff. Cody Blick, Tain Lee and former NCAA champion Broc Everett will join Peaper in the field. Lee has qualified for three TOUR events this year. The Palmetto Championship will be the second PGA TOUR start of Blick’s career. He made 10 birdies Sunday en route to shooting 7-under 65 at Belfair in Bluffton, South Carolina. He finished in the top 15 of the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada’s Order of Merit (now known as the Forme Tour) in both 2017 and 2018. Following his success in the Great White North, he famously shot 63 in the final round of the Korn Ferry Tour Q-School after getting his clubs stolen hours before teeing off. Blick was sidelined with a back injury 10 starts into the 2019 KFT season, however. He failed to keep his Korn Ferry card after missing the cut in all six of his medical starts in 2020. QUALIFIERS Cody Blick Age: 27 College: San Jose State Turned pro: 2016 PGA TOUR starts: 1 Cuts made: 1 PGA TOUR earnings: $7,128 Twitter: @blick_golf Notes: The Palmetto Championship will mark Blick’s first start on the PGA TOUR since the 2017 Barracuda Championship (T61). Blick missed all six cuts on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020 while playing on a medical extension. He made two cuts on the PGA Latinoamérica Tour in 2020, finishing T52 at The Championship at Echelon Golf Club and 52nd at the Classic at The Club at Weston Hills. Tain Lee Age: 31 College: Claremont McKenna College Turned pro: 2011 PGA TOUR starts: 2 Cuts made: 2 PGA TOUR earnings: $32,315 Notes: The Palmetto Championship will be Lee’s third career PGA TOUR start (all in 2021). He finished 69th at the Farmers Insurance Open and 59th at the Valero Texas Open after Monday qualifying for both. … Lee won the Jack Nicklaus Award in 2010 as the top player in NCAA Division III. Broc Everett Age: 26 College: Augusta Turned pro: 2018 PGA TOUR starts: 3 Cuts made: 0 Twitter: @Brocandroll10 Notes: Everett has made three starts on the Korn Ferry Tour this season, making one cut (T54 at Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna). Most recent PGA TOUR starts came in 2019 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Wells Fargo Championship. Everett won the 2018 NCAA individual title. Future PGA TOUR players Doug Ghim (3rd), Scottie Scheffler (6th) and Matthew Wolff (T7) finished in the top 10 that week. Everett played baseball, basketball track and golf in high school, and was member of several choral groups. Brant Peaper Age: 26 College: Indiana Turned pro: 2013 PGA TOUR starts: 0 Twitter: @peapshow25 Notes: This will be Peaper’s PGA TOUR debut. He played three events on the Korn Ferry Tour between 2016 and 2018 and made the cut in six of 30 Forme Tour starts between 2014 and 2019. Was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2013, including a win at the Wolf Run Intercollegiate. NOTES Notable who missed qualifying: Hayden Springer, Akshay Bhatia, John Augenstein, M.J. Daffue (AT&T Byron Nelson Monday Qualifier), J.J. Killeen. 2020-2021 Monday Qualifier Statistics Last event’s qualifier results: AT&T Byron Nelson, M.J. Daffue (MC), John Lyras (MC), Dylan Meyer (T68), Tom Lovelady (MC) Total money earned by Monday qualifiers on TOUR this season: $651,473 Best Finish: M.J. Daffue (T12, Sanderson Farms Championship) Next Monday Qualifier: Travelers Championship at Ellington Ridge Country Club (Monday June 21, 2021)

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