Farmers Insurance Open leaderboard: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson still struggling at Torrey Pines

Tiger Woods is halfway through his second PGA Tour round of the year, and the No. 1 player in the world has failed to make much of a charge playing on the easier North Course at Torrey Pines. He’s currently seven shots back of leader Marc Leishman, a significant margin but still manageable to make up over his final 45 holes.

Woods is not in danger of missing the cut, but he could sure use a super low inward nine at the North Course to get in a contending position at the midpoint. Tiger was off all day on Thursday, whether it was with his driver, irons, or even wedges around the green. He said after the round he would need to get in gear early on the North Course, and while he was bogey free on his first nine, he had an awful three-putt on the par-5 18th (his 9th of the day) to finish a disappointing 2-under.

Tiger has owned this event by dominating the par-5s -- the most reliable path to victory for Woods not only at Torrey, but everywhere he plays. Woods was furious at the missed opportunities on the par-5s on the South Course on Thursday, and he’s got to be fuming now at the midpoint of his second round following three more pars, including back-to-back pars at the turn on two of the easier North par-5s.

The North Course is playing a full four strokes easier than the South, largely due to the much shorter layout and easier par-5s. The three putt on No. 18 was a disaster that Woods compounded when he made the turn and settled for another brutal par at the par-5 first. Tiger put his second shot hole high just off the green, but his relatively easy chip slid past the hole and he missed a short makable comeback putt for birdie. That two-hole stretch at the turn -- the three-putt and failed up-and-down -- could deflate his chances for the rest of the weekend

Tiger will finish his round under-par, but he could be in a double-digit deficit if he continues to miss easy birdie chances. Woods has just one par-5 in front of him now at No. 9 on the North. It’s likely he won’t be out of it, but his record of chasing down leaders on the weekend, as opposed to running from the front, is well-documented.

Phil Mickelson, who was questionable to stay in the tournament after injuring his back on Thursday, is playing the tougher South Course today and is just 1-under through his first five holes. Mickelson reiterated his animosity for the Rees Jones redesigned South, where he does not have an impressive track record since the early 2000s remodel. With that history and the back issue, it will be a surprise if he makes a run on Friday. Lefty, like Woods, is seven shots off the pace.

Here’s a snapshot of the current leaderboard, with the cut line hovering right at even-par (North/South distinguished in parentheses):

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