Snedeker surprises even himself

Last updated: 29th January 2012

Brandt Snedeker can't believe how quickly he has recovered from a recent hip operation.

Less than two months ago he was having to walk with the aid of crutches after having surgery to correct a torn labrum in one of his hips.

He has responded magnificently though, for prior to this week he had already picked up one top 10 finish at the Humana Challenge where he shot three rounds in the 60s, and now is well set to do even better at this week's Farmers Insurance Open where he was only one shot behind halfway leader Kyle Stanley heading into the weekend.

"I'm certainly surprised that I played this well this fast," Snedeker told Helen Ross of the PGA Tour.com in an interview on Friday.

"Normally it takes me a while to get the rust off. But my practice at home went really, really well. I was kind of shocked at how quick I picked it back up.

"I was actually chomping at the bit to get out here because I knew I was playing well. But you never really know until you get back out here under local conditions. But I was actually pretty right on."

Snedeker, who already owns the record of 61 on the North Course shot just three strokes higher on the same course on Friday where he turned in an 8-under 64, the low round of the day, thanks to posting nine birdies as against just one bogey.

What makes Snedeker especially dangerous this week is his affinity to Torrey Pines.

He shot that 61 in the first round of the 2007 Farmers Insurance Open on his way to a third-place finish and PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year honors and he has had top-10 finishes here for the last two years.

Of his record 61, Snedeker says he often replays the first hole in his memory.

"That was my tenth hole of the day," he will tell you with a smile, "and I was 9 under through nine. Every time I tee the ball up there, I remember I could barely get the ball to stay on the tee I was so nervous making the turn. I remember I missed a little eagle putt there to get to 11-under through 10. But I nevertheless have a lot of great memories of that round."

The surgery he underwent in November last year was done to help prolong his career.

Snedeker has a congenital condition that surfaced when he tore the labrum in his left hip and had surgery about 13 months ago.

His physician told him then that he would need similar surgery on his right.

"But the doctor felt pretty comfortable that I could play last year without any pain in my right hip and I did," said Snedeker, who went on to win The Heritage in a playoff with the man who is now world No. 1, Luke Donald.

"He told me I had another year on it and sure enough, about a year to the day, it started hurting, so I called him and we got the surgery scheduled."