Brendan Steele entered the second round at the Farmers Insurance Open on the Torrey Pines course in La Jolla at four over par after playing the tough South Course on Thursday. With the two-round cut likely at even par, the Idyllwild native needed at least a four-under-par performance today on the North Course to make that cut.
In today’s second round, Steele produced six birdies against only one bogey to climb to one under par for the tournament and made the cut with a stroke to spare. The big difference today? He hit 83% of the greens in regulation and lowered his putts per green to 1.667.
This week’s caddie is Greg Will, another friend and former teammate. Club selection this week seemed particularly on target. On the no. 7 hole today, a par 4 with narrow fairways, Steele opted to eschew the driver off the tee and left himself with a good-sized iron to the green. His approach shot hit the pin on the fly and rattled it almost out of the hole. His ball rebounded to the fringe and he two putted from there, but the approach was testimony to his club selection and accuracy today, which produced that exceptional 83% greens-in-regulation statistic.
Steele enters the weekend tied for 52nd place. Tomorrow and Sunday, he returns to the tougher South Course. A top 30 finish would yield him somewhere around 30 FedEx Cup points — a very worthwhile result indeed.
Steele’s tee time tomorrow will be available a bit later today at www.pgatour.com. Click on Farmers Insurance Open, then click on Tee Times. Come on down to La Jolla tomorrow to help root one of Idyllwild’s favorite sons on.
Recommended route from Idyllwild: Take the 74 down to Valle Vista, turn south on Fairview, west on Stetson, south on State, west on the Domenigoni Parkway, south on the 215, continue south onto the 15, west on the 78, south on the 5, stay on the 5 at the 805/5 split, get off at Gennessee and turn west and follow the signs to tournament parking. Allow about 2-1/2 hours drive time.