SAN DIEGO _ Jason Day besting Alex Noren on a Monday morning after the sun set on an epic Sunday playoff will long be remembered as one of the more memorable finishes at Torrey Pines.
Few, however, might recall that the bonus golf began as a three-man field: Day, Noren and 42-year-old Texan Ryan Palmer.
Of course, Palmer remembers.
The experience is serving him well as he is tied for third at 10 under after carding a 5-under 67 on Friday on the North Course.
"It's always nice to come back to a course where you've had success and had a chance to win and losing in a playoff," said Palmer, who parred his first playoff hole last year to bow out. "You look forward to going back to those events and hopefully making up for last year. It definitely gives you a sense of confidence and excitement to be back at a place you've performed at."
Palmer finished tied for third and seventh in the second and third events of this season before missing the cut last week in the desert. He had only two top-10 finishes and missed the cut in 13 of the 19 events played after last year's T-2 finish at Torrey Pines, his best showing since tying for second in the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open.
"The weekend will be different," Palmer said, noting that winds were expected to pick up as play moved exclusively to the more difficult South Course. "It always is. All I can do is put myself in position and I've done that."
