In a dramatic turn of events at Torrey Pines, the PGA Tour suspended second-round play of the Farmers Insurance Open. The halt came at 2:05 p.m. PT on January 23. At the time, Ludvig Aberg, who had impressed with a stunning 9-under 63 in the opening round, was struggling at 2 over par through 12 holes on the South Course. Wind gusts reached up to 44 km/h, creating nearly unplayable conditions across both courses.

The severity became particularly evident when Hideki Matsuyama’s ball was blown off its position on the second hole of the North Course. Moreover, the challenging conditions had an immediate impact on scoring. The North Course played an astounding 5.3 shots harder than the previous day. Meanwhile, former champions Zac Blair and Zach Johnson saw their scores plummet dramatically. Both had been three strokes off the lead after shooting six-under-par 66s in the opening round. Subsequently, Blair finished with a six-over 78, while Johnson stood at six over through 15 holes when play was halted.

Initially, the community questioned the suspension by comparing it to the 2024 Butterfield Bermuda Championship. Despite experiencing stronger winds with sustained speeds of 24 mph and gusts up to 36 mph, that event continued uninterrupted. Furthermore, he referenced Justin Lower’s experience in Bermuda, where balls were reportedly “going backwards in the air,” yet the play wasn’t suspended, highlighting potential inconsistencies in weather-related tournament decisions.

As debate intensified around the Tour’s decision, one of golf’s most prominent voices stepped forward to defend the suspension.

Justin Thomas leads the defense of the PGA Tour’s decision

Justin Thomas, a staunch defender of PGA Tour policies, quickly emerged as the leading voice supporting the suspension. Responding to online criticism of the decision, Thomas provided a detailed technical analysis. Bermuda was likely grainy, slower Bermuda greens vs Torrey which has fast, severe Poa,” he explained. “Same reason we play in 30-40 mph winds at the Open some days- bc greens are slower. Extremely tough to compare the two. Just my opinion,” wrote JT.

His defense of the Tour’s decision aligns with his recent proactive role in PGA Tour advocacy. Earlier this month, Thomas demonstrated his commitment to Tour initiatives by sending a memo to fellow players, encouraging increased media and fan engagement to enhance the fan experience. His detailed explanation of the wind conditions and course characteristics at Torrey Pines reflects this broader effort to provide greater insight into Tour operations and decision-making processes.

You see the statistics strongly support the decision to suspend play. The North Course typically plays easier with a scoring average of 71.45 in 2023. However, on this day, scores ballooned by more than five strokes. Similarly, the South Course played 2.7 shots harder than the previous day. These numbers highlight the extreme challenge players faced.

While Thomas provided the technical rationale for the suspension, numerous players on the course endorsed the decision, sharing their firsthand experiences with the challenging conditions.

Other pros echoing support for suspension

The decision to halt play received strong backing from players battling the conditions. Joel Dahmen, experiencing the challenging weather firsthand, provided vivid insight. “I don’t know if I’ve experienced this much wind at Torrey before. We have Santa Ana winds coming in from the east, and occasionally, we get a shift from the ocean, which has been super strange today. Really difficult to plan and it is just survival mode out here today.”

Eric Cole, who managed to complete his second round moments before the halt, emphasized the unique challenges. “It was extremely difficult. It started really blowing on like our second or third hole, so we had a solid six holes of really heavy winds. Then it almost died down and switched directions for a few holes. Very tricky and very unique.” Danny Walker reinforced this sentiment, describing it as “just a crazy day” where players had to “accept whatever happens” due to conditions being out of their control.

As of January 24, 2025, tournament officials continue to monitor conditions. Players and fans now await updates on the resumption of play. The suspension has created a significant challenge for competitors, with many facing the mental task of maintaining focus during the unexpected break, while tournament organizers work diligently to ensure fair playing conditions for all participants.