Justin Rose breaks Tiger Woods 27 year Farmers Insurance Open record at Torrey Pines while Woods recovers from back surgery (Image via Getty) Tiger Woods was not even on the golf course on Sunday, yet his name still sat at the center of the story. While the 15-time major winner continues his long recovery from back surgery, one of his oldest records finally fell. At Torrey Pines in San Diego, Justin Rose delivered a week that quietly rewrote history. Justin Rose finished the Farmers Insurance Open with a calm two-under 70 in the final round. That score sealed a seven-shot win and pushed him past the 72-hole tournament record Tiger Woods set back in 1999. The record had stood for 27 years. It finally broke while Woods watched from the sidelines. After the final putt dropped, Rose did not hide what the moment meant. Speaking to CBS on the 18th green, he smiled and said, “Sorry, T-dub, if you’re watching.” He later added, “I was keenly aware of it, actually. It was the only thing I was focused on the last three holes.” The result was not just about one record. It was about timing, age, and contrast. One legend remains stuck in recovery and another, at 45, just played one of the best weeks of his career.
Justin Rose outplays the field as Tiger Woods watches from recovery
Justin Rose led from start to finish at Torrey Pines. No one caught him. No one truly came close. He opened the week with a stunning 62 on the North Course and never slowed down. Each day, his lead grew, one shot, then four, then six and by Sunday evening, it was seven.That made Justin Rose the first wire-to-wire winner at Torrey Pines in 71 years. It also marked the largest victory margin of his career. Even on the South Course, known for punishing scores and U.S. Open history, Rose stayed steady and patient.The win lifted Justin Rose to third in the Official World Golf Ranking, a rare place for a player in his mid-40s. Only Vijay Singh had been older when ranked that high back in 2008.The moment also highlighted how far Tiger Woods is from that level today. Woods turned 50 in December and has not completed four rounds of a professional event since the 2024 Masters. His last appearance came at the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon, where he missed the cut.In October, Tiger Woods underwent his seventh back surgery, a disc replacement in his spine. Recovery has been slow. Woods has admitted he hoped the healing process would move faster.Once, Torrey Pines felt like Tiger Woods’ home. He won there eight times, including a U.S. Open. On Sunday, that era felt even further away as one more piece of his legacy slipped into the past.
