Farmers Insurance Open: Ludvig Aberg Leads After Impressive First Round

Sweden's Ludvig Aberg fired a nine-under-par 63 to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

Sweden's Ludvig Aberg took the lead at the Farmers Insurance Open, firing a remarkable nine-under-par 63 in the first round at Torrey Pines in California. Aberg's impressive round consisted of eight birdies, an eagle, and a single bogey, making it the lowest-scoring opening round of his career.

Aberg attributed his success to a strong start, saying, “Super happy with the way we kind of came out of the gates today and played some good golf.” He also praised the course, adding, “Any golf course when it looks like this, when you have the views - Torrey Pines is a really, really cool place.”

Aberg began his round on the back nine, quickly finding his rhythm with three consecutive birdies. He continued his momentum with a birdie on his fifth hole and an eagle to reach the turn at six under. Aberg's impressive form continued on the front nine, where he carded four more birdies and a lone bogey on his 11th hole, completing a stellar round.

Aberg's two-shot lead sets him up for a promising tournament, and he will look to maintain his momentum in the second round. With his confidence boosted by a strong opening round, Aberg is well-positioned to contend for the title at the Farmers Insurance Open.

Ludvig Aberg's impressive opening round has given him a two-shot lead over Americans Danny Walker and Hayden Springer, who are tied for second place after carding seven-under-par 65s. Walker's round was particularly notable, as he navigated the more challenging South Course at Torrey Pines with ease, carding seven birdies in a bogey-free round.

Walker attributed his success to a conservative approach, saying, “Was really just trying to hit the middle of the green a lot of times and then rolled in some putts and that's how I shot a good score.” He also acknowledged the rarity of his achievement, adding, “I think I hit every green, which is rare, especially on a course that challenging.”

📊 Approaches - 130-170 Yards

(Through 3 Matches)

Winning teams Avg Proximity - 14’3”
Losing teams Avg Proximity - 21’3” pic.twitter.com/Oka5v5CeP4

— TGL (@TGL) January 23, 2025

Four players - Lanto Griffin, Zac Blair, Zach Johnson, and South Africa's Aldrich Potgieter - are a further shot back on six under, having started on the North Course. This group will look to close the gap on the leaders in the second round.

A large contingent of players is bunched together on five under, including South Africa's Erik van Rooyen and France's Antoine Rozner. Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, the world number four and highest-ranked player in the field, is tied for 18th on four under, alongside 10 other players.