Seventeen-year-old pro debutant Ryan Ruffels has made the cut at Torrey Pines but an ailing world No.2 Jason Day failed to do so while struggling with a virus.
Ruffels managed a one-over-73 on Friday on the south course to finish at one under, right on the cut line, to ensure he will earn his first cheque.
The Victorian bogeyed his penultimate hole to put pressure on coming down the 18th but a precision 100-metre pitch shot he claimed was the most nerve-racking of his life ended at close range to secure his place.
After being sprayed by multiple major winning Phil Mickelson on tournament eve for disclosing details about an on course wager the pair played for last December, Ruffels had the last laugh as the American missed the cut.
"There are going to be times throughout my career there will be off-course distractions that I have, whether it is one thing or another they are going to be there and I felt like it was mature of me to be able to put that aside and be able to focus on the golf and play some good golf," Ruffels said.
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"It was difficult. Obviously a little added pressure but that's fine. I was a bit more nervous on the first tee but I feel like I handled it well despite all that and I was able to put together a couple of good rounds which I'm pretty happy with."
With just seven starts allowed to earn a tour card unless he finishes in the top 10 to earn an extra one, Ruffels has now turned his attention to making as big a move as possible up the leaderboard.
He needs the equivalent of seven top-20 finishes to continue his tour card quest.
"I have a good opportunity now. The first step was make the weekend and now it's sort of a free hit out there," he said.
"I can have a bit of fun and hopefully make a few birdies and not so many bogeys."
Day could not find a way to get through his lethargy caused by a virus he has battled for a week, shooting a two-over-74 to miss the cut by three shots.
Having battled fevers, multiple hospital visits and other flu symptoms for five days prior to the event he left frustrated.
He is the first defending champion of the Farmers Insurance Open to miss the cut since Jose Maria Olazabal in 2003.
"It definitely is tough. It's difficult because it's just frustrating and obviously annoying to come into a week and not be prepared for a golf course like this," Day lamented.
"It's a US Open golf course so you have to come in very sharp and very ready to play.
"But it's just one week. You can't live and die by one week. Hopefully it is the last cut I'm going to miss this year and I can look forward to getting over this virus and playing Pebble Beach in a few weeks time."
Aaron Baddeley put up a 69 on the north course to be the leading Australian at two under, seven shots back of the lead.
American Gary Woodland (south) and South Korean KJ Choi (north) fired rounds of 67 to move to nine-under-135 in a share of top spot.
Big-hitting Dustin Johnson is just a shot behind after a 66 on the north left him at eight under.
Former Australian Open champions Matt Jones and John Senden also made the cut on the number but Marc Leishman, Rod Pampling, Cameron Smith, Jarrod Lyle, Geoff Ogilvy, Cameron Percy, Rhein Gibson and Robert Allenby will all leave early.
Other big names to miss the weekend included world No.4 Rickie Fowler and No.7 Justin Rose.
