Lowry slips back at Farmers as Anthony Kim plots return to golf

Shane Lowry at the Masters last year

Shane Lowry had to rely on his magical short game to keep the leaders in his sights in the Farmers Insurance Open, but Seamus Power’s Torrey Pines hoodoo continued with a fifth successive missed cut.

Lowry began day two just two shots off the lead after carding a super 66 on the North Course to tie for fourth.
But he had to dig deep to remain in touch on the more challenging South Course last night, scrambling six times out of eight for par as he followed an early birdie at the sixth with bogeys at the 15th and 17th in a 73.

His one-over round saw him slip from fourth to tied 35th on five-under and now seven strokes behind Germany’s Stephan Jaeger.

The 32-year-old closed with an eagle at the ninth to card an eight-under 64 on the North Course, giving him a one-stroke lead on 12-under from Danish Ryder Cup star Nicolai Hojgaard, who shot 66 on the same course.

“Finishing like that, yeah, it was exciting,” said Jaeger, who birdied five of his first eight holes and had just one bogey before knocking in a 35-footer at his final hole.

“I’m pumped to play the South Course two more days. I love this place. This is probably one of my favourite tournaments every year.”

Hojgaard’s 66 was bogey-free and just what he needed after carding a 67 on the South Course on Wednesday.

“I feel like it’s been two solid days,” said the Dane (22). “Played some really good golf, scrambled pretty well when I’ve been out of position and finished off with a nice par today.”

The leaderboard has a major European flavour with Belgium’s Thomas Detry firing a 68 and France’s Matthieu Pavon a 65 on the South Course to trail Jaeger by just two shots.

But it was a week to forget for West Waterford man Power as he followed a 74 on the South Course with a two-under 70 on the North.

A brace of three-putt bogeys on the back nine proved costly as he missed the cut by three shots on level par — his fifth missed cut from as many appearances at Torrey Pines since 2017.

At the LPGA Drive On Championship, Stephanie Meadow opened her season with one-under 70 at Bradenton Country Club in Florida to trail leaders Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko, who shot 65s, by five strokes.

She was tied for 25th at the end of the day, while Leona Maguire was tied for 73rd after a two-over 73.

Meanwhile, Golf.com reports that former US Ryder Cup star Anthony Kim (38) is looking to return to the game 12 years after he walked away following injury.

Kim has reportedly spent the last few months in discussions with the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and potential sponsors, and practising.

According to the report, “a central issue in negotiations has been an insurance policy from Kim’s playing days, now worth an estimated $10 million, that would be voided if he returned to competition.”

Golf.com says LIV CEO Greg Norman has been in touch with the player who won three times on the PGA Tour, beat Sergio Garcia in the 2008 Ryder Cup singles and set a Masters record by making 11 birdies in a second-round 65 in 2009.