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Stephan Jaeger leads the PGA Tour at Torrey Pines thanks to a late eagle
Germany’s Stephan Jaeger, aged 34, claimed a one-stroke lead over Nicolai Hojgaard, 22, in the second round of the US PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Jaeger completed the North Course with an impressive eight-under par 64, totaling 12-under par (132) for the tournament.
Taking the lead with a remarkable 35-foot eagle putt at the par-five ninth, his final hole of the day, Jaeger secured the advantage just after Hojgaard finished a bogey-free round of six-under par 66 on the North Course, posting a total of 11-under (133).
Describing his eagle putt, Jaeger explained, “I hit a good drive, a bit into the wind today, so we had 260, 270 pin. I kind of tugged it a little bit. I wanted it to go to the middle of the green, but I went right at it, ended up landing just short of the pin and scooting to the back fringe. Had a little downhill right-to-left putt from about 35 feet, and it ended up curling in. It was awesome to see that. Finishing like that, it was exciting.”
Currently ranked 101st in the world, Jaeger is in pursuit of his first-ever US PGA Tour title.
He initiated his round with consecutive birdies at the 10th and 11th holes, stringing together three more at 15, 16, and 17. Following his only bogey of the day at the first hole, he responded with birdies at the third and eighth. With an impressive finish, he expressed anticipation about contending in the final two rounds on the challenging South Course, a venue that has hosted the US Open twice.
Reflecting on his performance, Jaeger, who has previously won multiple times on the Korn Ferry, expressed excitement about competing on the weekend with cameras on and playing in front of fellow professionals in the last few groups.
Nicolai Hojgaard, who began with a strong five-under performance on the South Course, continued his solid play. He climbed the leaderboard with four consecutive birdies from the fourth through the seventh and added two more birdies at 13 and 16.
Matsuyama’s hole-in-one was a standout moment. While beginning with the South Course might have eased some pressure, he emphasized that the North layout still presented significant challenges.
“There is still thick rough around the North Course, and you still need to execute precise shots out there,” he remarked. “I don’t find it particularly easy. I’ve played exceptionally well in these two days, so it felt relatively stress-free, but I acknowledge that both courses pose potential challenges.”
Two additional European players, Thomas Detry from Belgium and Matthieu Pavon from France, jointly occupied the third position with a score of 134. Pavon impressed with a remarkable seven-under 65 on the South Course, while Detry carded a solid four-under 68.
“It was a pretty solid round overall, especially with consistent drives,” stated Pavon, who managed eight birdies and only one bogey. “I’ve managed to avoid the rough in the last two days, which was crucial. Additionally, my putter was performing exceptionally well, which is amusing. I did miss some short putts, but I compensated with sinking some impressive long-range putts and maintained the momentum.”
Hideki Matsuyama, a former Masters champion, experienced a fluctuating day on the South Course. Despite carding his first hole-in-one on tour at the par-three eighth, he also encountered four bogeys, resulting in a one-under 71 that left him trailing by five strokes.
