Harris English shot a 6-under-par 66 on Friday to rise to the lead after three rounds of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego.
A day after wild winds impacted the tournament and pushed it off schedule, it was English who turned in a tidy and calm round.
“Yeah, just managed my game really well,” English said. “I wouldn’t say I hit the ball great starting out, but missed it in the right spots and then leaned on my short game and made some really good putts to save par starting out. Kind of got the round going, start hitting some really good iron shots and making some putts, getting some momentum.”
English, who’s at 9-under 207 for the tournament, used birdies on the final three holes of the South Course to move ahead of Andrew Novak, who finished earlier with a bogey-free 66 and is one stroke back.
English had a birdie putt of less than 3 feet on the par-5 18th. He hasn’t won on the PGA Tour since the 2021 Travelers Championship, something he hopes to change in Saturday’s final round, also at the South Course.
“Winning on the PGA Tour’s hard. Winning in a place like this will be massive,” English said. “It’s one of my favorite places. And the list of winners here is pretty incredible, so I love being in the mix.”
After sinking a 20-foot birdie putt, Novak walked off the last green holding a one-shot edge until he was passed by English. He’s chasing his first PGA Tour victory.
“Anytime you want something, you might put pressure on yourself,” Novak said. “There’s going to be nerves (Saturday).
Novak is in his 89th start on the tour, so he doesn’t expect any surprises. He has had seven top-10 finishes, with a runner-up finish in November’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
“You just have to step up and hit the golf shot,” Novak said. “It’s going to come down to that.”
South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter is in third at 7 under after posting 67. The 20-year-old rookie played the last eight holes in 5 under, aided by an eagle on the par-4 12th from about 173 yards away in the fairway.
Potgieter, who said he’s anticipating a little more wind for the final round, is turning heads with his distance off tees. He said he knows the key will be keeping his shots on target.
“This rough is so thick you have to be able to get through it easily,” he said. “I’m just trying to hit a fairway. If I can find a fairway, I’ll be happy.”
Joel Dahmen (70) joins South Korea’s K.H. Lee (68), Germany’s Matti Schmid (68) and second-round co-leader Lanto Griffin (73) in fourth place at 5 under.
If conditions continue to improve as they did Friday, there could be opportunities for players to make a move.
“Anything is easier than (Thursday),” Dahmen said. “… I’ve put myself in position if I can get off to a good start (Saturday). I’m just looking to have a chance.”
Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, the other co-leader entering Friday, tumbled to 4 under after shooting a 74. Aberg has had a volatile tournament, with an opening-round 63 and a second-round 75.
The group at 4 under also includes Brandt Snedeker (68), Greyson Sigg (70), Ricky Castillo (70), Wesley Bryan (71), South Korea’s Sungjae Im (72) and Norway’s Kris Ventura (71).
Twenty-nine golfers needed to complete the suspended second round Friday morning before the cut line was finalized and the third round began. Five players withdrew after Thursday’s suspension, opting not to finish the round.
The final round comes Saturday instead of Sunday — when it’s traditionally held on the PGA Tour — to avoid going up against the AFC and NFC Championship Games on television.
–Field Level Media
