Patrick Reed blocked the noise – again – to win the Farmers Insurance Open on Sunday in Torrey Pines. Here’s everything you need to know:
Among the best: Patrick Reed (-14), Viktor Hovland (-9), Tony Finau (-9), Xander Schauffele (-9), Ryan Palmer (-9), Henrik Norlander (-9)
What does it mean: The day after a controversial fall from a ball embedded in the rough on the 10thº hole, Reed was unperturbed (OK, so no fans helped) as he advanced early and led the way. Not even a situation of minor rules for a ball in motion on the 17thº green – turned out to be nothing after Reed carefully called an officer – could stop Reed, who now has nine wins on the PGA Tour, the same number as Bobby Jones, Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo. Reed has also had at least one win in seven or more seasons since 2013 (only Dustin Johnson, with nine, can claim that).
How did this happen: Reed started the day tied for the top 10 with Carlos Ortiz. As Ortiz quickly disappeared, Reed shredded his first five holes before giving a 46-foot eagle putt on the sixth par 5 hole. 7 and 9. Hovland, a group in front, hit an early shot in the back nine, but he hit the second in par-4 14º into danger for the second consecutive day for his first three-bogey in a four-hole interval that also included a 2-foot error for the pair at number 17. Meanwhile, Reed made eight consecutive pars in the back before sinking a 10- footer birdie to close his 4 under 68 win and five strokes, the biggest ever on the Tour.
Rounds of the day: Luke List and Francesco Molinari each fired a 6-under 66 to finish the T-9. It is the second consecutive result in Molinari’s top 10, after not registering any since the 2019 Masters. But the lowest round went far below the leaderboard, with Sepp Straka hitting 65 to move up to 32nd position.
Photo of the day: Reed’s eagle bomb in the sixth hole, where he also drained a bomb over 40 feet on Saturday.
Fall of the day: This “fall” of Hovland in the 14thº hole that never looked like it was going to end.
Most disappointing: Ortiz. Tied by the lead earlier in the day, Ortiz’s attempt at his second win of the season ended at 78 points. He finished in 10 points.
Quote of the day: “Mentally, I held on and kept going. With everything that happened yesterday … I felt good, I felt good all day, and at the end of the day I wouldn’t have felt any other way. Able to go there, shoot a good number and get the job done. “