Farmers Insurance Open: Reed and Norwegians share the lead as McIlroy gets off to a steady start
Former Masters champion Reed dropped a shot when he saw eight birdies on the Torrey Pines & # 39; North Course charted
Former Masters Champion Patrick Reed and Alex Noren of Sweden share the lead after day one at the Farmers Insurance Open, while Rory McIlroy got off to a promising start at Torrey Pines.
Playing the easier North Course in the two site event, Reid and Norwegians both fired eight-under-par 64s.
McIlroy fired a four-under-68 on the harder South Course with his only shot down coming on the 15th.
American players Peter Malnati and Ryan Palmer played 66s on the South Course.
After starting at 10th on North Course, Reed carded three instant birdies and three more consecutive wins came on second nin from fifth.
Norwegians, a member of Europe's 2018 Ryder Cup winning team, took to the turn in 33 – aided by an eagle in the long 17th – but really fell loose on his second nine when he came home in 31 after five birdies.
The leaders are one shot away from the American Scottie Scheffler firing a 65 at the North Course.
Rory McIlroy was in action on the harder South Course in the Torrey Pines event
Those who joined Malnati in fourth place at six include another American player, Ryan Palmer, who played on the South Course, and 2019 US Open champion Gary Woodland who showed he was recovering from a recent back injury when firing his 66 on the North Course.
McIlroy started off impressively as he rolled into 10 foot and 15 foot putts for birdies on the first two holes that followed excellent approaches.
Another routine birdie came in sixth par five when he misjudged a 6 meter attempt with an eagle and a magnificent throw of big tap four in long ninth for another profit.
His round stopped slightly on the back nine because he failed to birdie the par-five 13th when he missed the green after a long delay on his second shot.
A bad wedge shot on the 15th saw him three putts from a distance for his only bogey, but a 10 foot birdie putt at the penultimate hole brought him down to four. ]
Jon Rahm from Spain opened with a steady 69 on the South Course with England's Tom Lewis opened with a 68 on the North location, but former world number one Brooks Koepka , who played with McIlroy, needed a birdie last to get a scrappy 72.
Heavy rain is predicted to fall at the San Diego site at night, so conditions may be much milder on Friday after Thursday's sunshine.
Torrey Pines & # 39; South Course will be the venue for this year's US Open in June.
