Justin Rose maintains a 6-stroke advantage at Torrey Pines.
SAN DIEGO — Justin Rose showcased an impressive performance on Saturday at Torrey Pines, extending his lead to as much as eight strokes before a few late errors resulted in a 4-under 68, giving him a six-stroke advantage in the Farmers Insurance Open.
Rose, the 2019 champion at Torrey, commenced the third round with a four-shot lead and quickly distanced himself with an exceptional run of three holes on the front nine of the South course.
He struck a pitching wedge to a back pin on the par-5 fifth hole, landing it 6 feet from the hole. He then launched a 5-wood from 252 yards to approximately 30 feet pin-high on the par-5 sixth, resulting in a two-putt birdie. Following that, he aimed for a tight flag over the bunker on No. 7, reaching 5 feet.
Rose had a few errant swings early on the back nine, giving Séamus Power and Joel Dahmen a glimmer of hope. After two consecutive bogeys, he pulled his 3-wood on the par-5 13th into the rough well below the green. With only the top of the flag visible, he pitched out, rolling it to tap-in range for a birdie.
Rose stood at 21-under 195, marking the second-largest 54-hole lead in the tournament’s history, trailing only the eight-shot lead Woods held in 2008. Woods has dominated the public course along the Pacific Bluff with eight professional victories, including the U.S. Open.
Power was striving to remain competitive until three consecutive bogeys pushed him out of contention. Dahmen finished strongly with a 68, placing him in second, although it may feel as if he is leading the B-flight.
However, it is a significant lead for Dahmen, who finished outside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup during the year when full cards were reduced from the top 125. He holds conditional status and only entered the Farmers Insurance Open due to two courses permitting a larger field.
He has also received a sponsor exemption for the WM Phoenix Open next week, making this an opportune moment to improve his situation. A strong performance on Sunday would be beneficial.
Meanwhile, Rose continues to relish what he has referred to as his “Indian summer.” At 45 years old, he was the oldest player by seven years on Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup team. Even if approached — should Luke Donald decline a third captaincy — Rose indicated last week that his focus would be on competing in the 2027 Ryder Cup.
A win on Sunday could elevate him to as high as No. 4 in the world rankings. No player has squandered a lead greater than five shots at Torrey Pines, although Rose once benefited from a remarkable collapse by Dustin Johnson in Shanghai. His task is not yet complete.
Brooks Koepka, returning to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf, had a solid round except for his short putts. He turned a 3-foot par putt into a double bogey on the par-3 11th and missed a 3-foot birdie putt, resulting in a bogey on the par-5 ninth, his final hole, leading to a score of 73.
