Seamus Power into top five at Torrey Pines as Brooks Koepka makes subdued return to PGA Tour

Justin Rose leads in North Carolina (Caroline Brehman/AP)

Seamus Power stormed into the top five at the Farmers Insurance Open after a seven-under-par 65 at Torrey Pines.

The Waterford native clinched eight birdies finishing with three in a row to sit tied-fifth overnight.

Justin Rose shot a brilliant 10-under-par 62 to lead as Brooks Koepka laboured through an opening 73 on what proved a low-key return to the PGA Tour.

Rose carded 10 unanswered birdies as the 45-year-old claimed a one-shot lead over American Justin Lower – whose wife is currently 34 weeks pregnant and expecting twins.

“It’s a funny one, I feel like I managed my game really, really well today,” Ryder Cup star Rose told the PGA Tour website. “I felt like I read the greens phenomenally, putted as you could see really, really well.

10 birdies for @JustinRose99 🔥 The solo leader lit up Torrey Pines North. pic.twitter.com/4orOD5wiDZ

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 30, 2026

“But I wouldn’t say it felt in complete cruise control – there was nothing kind of off, but some days you shoot 10 under par and every shot is as you see it, as you intend it, and I probably only had three or four today that I felt like were exactly as I was drawing up.

“But it was a good round of golf, the North Course is a course that you feel like you should be able to get but it’s actually grown a few teeth over the years.

“You’ve got to play well, you’ve got to drive the ball in play which I did a reasonable job of. I got momentum when I needed it, hit the odd good iron shot, made the odd 20 footer and before you know it you’re five, six, seven under par.”

The better scores all came on the North Course, with Power firing a seven-under 65 to post the lowest round on the South Course and claim a share of fifth place.

After Koepka agreed a release from his contract with the Saudi breakaway LIV Golf series a year early at the end of the 2025 season, the PGA Tour subsequently then introduced a hastily-written Returning Members Programme to accommodate the five-time major winner back into the fold.

Starting on the South Course, Koepka, who had joined LIV in 2022, made three pars before dropping a shot on the fourth and was not able to land a birdie chance on the ninth as he headed into the turn at one over.

"I just care. I care about what everybody's thinking out here … Just like everybody else, you walk into a room, nobody wants to feel exiled. They just want to be loved."

A vulnerable @BKoepka returned to the PGA TOUR on Thursday @FarmersInsOpen, and he felt the fans' love ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zGnHagBC4z

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 30, 2026

Koepka overshot the green on the par-five 13th which resulted in another bogey and then narrowly missed a birdie opportunity on the par-three 16th before sinking his fourth shot on the final hole to sign for a one-over round.

“I’ve fallen back in love with the game,” Koepka told reporters. “Watching my son play a little bit and wanting to be able to see him watch me play well and realise how much this game has given me and how fun it is.

“It was very cool to hear ‘welcome back’… it was pretty much every hole.”