He broke his own 36-hole mark by two shots on Friday to build a four-shot lead at the Farmers Insurance Open.
The weekend will include Brooks Koepka in his return to the PGA Tour after four seasons on the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League. The five-time major champion shot a 68 on the easier North course to just make the cut, 14 shots behind.
The question now is whether anyone can catch Rose.
The Englishman opened with a 62 on the North and knew what awaited him on the South course — the site of two US Opens — and wound up with a seven-under 65.
It added to a 17-under 127 — breaking by two the previous mark he set in 2019, Tom Lehman in 2005 and Lennie Clements in 1996 — and a four-shot lead over Seamus Power of Ireland, who had a 66 on the North.
Joel Dahmen, who got into Torrey Pines because two courses allow for a larger-than-normal field, had three eagles in his round of 63 on the North and joined Max McGreevy (67 on North) in a tie for third, six shots behind.
"I don't go into a deep dive, but I kind of saw the 'NC, NC, NC, NC, NC, NC, NC' on the leaderboard, so by process of elimination, I kind of knew what I was facing today," Rose said.
"It's a tough situation when you don't have a great day on the North and then you have to go and find a score on the South."
The 45-year-old found his groove early with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 third and then a tough 10-footer for par on the fourth.
Rose hit long iron to pin-high 8 feet away for eagle on the par-5 sixth, closed out the back nine with two birdies and never really let up.
Adam Scott (71) and Karl Vilips (72) are the best-placed Australians at five under. Cameron Davis (71) is one shot adrift and Jason Day (74) one further back.
Tony Finau is also five under and arguably made the shot of the day, a hole-in-one on the South's par3-16th.
The cut fell at three-under 141.
Missing from the weekend will be Xander Schauffele (69), the two-time major champion and San Diego native who saw his 72-tournament cut streak end after finish two under.
Scottie Scheffler, the world No.1 not playing in California along with second-ranked Rory McIlroy, now takes over the longest active cut streak at 65, still not halfway to the record 142 held by Tiger Woods.
"I think yesterday I was excited to play — nervous, and kind of didn't know what to expect — but today felt more normal, I guess," another former No.1 Koepka said.
"Don't me wrong — I definitely still got antsy."
15°C