Happy birthday to leader in the clubhouse at Torrey Pines

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Along with PGA Tour rookie Alex Prugh, Michael Allen is the leader in the clubhouse at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. The two are 11-under-par 277, but it was Allen who got serenaded as he came up the 18th fairway by the enthusiastic gallery singing ‘Happy Birthday.’

Allen turned 51 today. He could be playing on the Champions Tour, the one for the guys over 50, but Allen said he still longs to compete on the other tour, the ones where the checks are bigger. ‘I’m still trying to make a living,’ Allen said after his seven-under round of 65. ‘I’ve still got two kids who need to go through college. I love playing out here. I’m not like a lot of those guys who have had some great careers leading up to [the Champions Tour] and won quite a bit. I still want to win out here. That’s my No. 1 goal.’

Allen first joined the PGA Tour in 1988 and he’s never won an event. He’s finished second twice and has 14 career top-10 finishes. There are four guys still out on the course better than 11-under and another four who are at 11-under, so Allen isn’t even guaranteed a top-10 finish yet. But he has earned more than $5.4 million in his career and that should have paid for some college tuition. And also for the bottle of Champagne Allen said he might drink tonight to celebrate that birthday.

Next up?

The Northern Trust Open. No rest for the golfers, not even the 51-year-olds.

-- Diane Pucin