San Diego’s Schauffele gets in hunt with 68.

In any other year, Xander Schauffele would have all kinds of well wishers following him around Torrey Pines.

But Schauffele, who has made the cut just twice in six Farmers Insurance Open appearances, is having his best tournament without any support from spectators.

The Scripps Ranch High and San Diego State alum moved within four shots of the lead on Saturday with one of the day’s best rounds, a 4-under 68 that made him 6 under for the tournament and in a five-way tie for 12th.

“I’m used to sort of seeing people that I haven’t seen in a while, saying ‘hi’ while I’m kind of walking the course,” Schauffele said. “Maybe it’s a good thing that no one’s out there so I can just focus on trying to make a cut here since I haven’t had much success in the past.”

Schauffele, who started Saturday on the South’s 10th hole, made the cut Friday by just one stroke. He got into the mix quickly in the third round with three birdies on his first six holes in a bogeyfree tour of the South.

Schauffele goes off three groups before the leaders in today’s final round. What are his expectations?

“Same thing as today,” Schauffele said. “I created a lot of opportunities. Bogeyfree is obviously a nice way to move up the board, and it’s Torrey South, I needed more today than I got.

“Four under is a really good score and I don’t know if I’ve ever shot in the 60s here at South in tournament play, or ever, honestly, but I was thinking if I could shoot 7 (under) today I might be somewhere in the talk if I could shoot something low on Sunday. But I’m very happy with the 4 under and, if I can feed off of that tomorrow, then I’d be very happy.”

Schauffele was paired with another local favorite, Phil Mickelson, for the first two rounds.

“It was awesome to play with him,” Schauffele said. “I keep trying to learn from veterans and how they think and operate on the course and I just try to have that sort of mindset out here.”

Unsocial media

Type in “Patrick Reed” on Twitter and it autofills with the phrases “Patrick Reed cheat,” “Patrick Reed cheating ” and “Patrick Reed cheating again.”

Some of the Twitter reaction to the Reed incident at the South’s 10th hole:

@Caleb_cooke: “Integrity is a core value of a game of golf. #Patrickreed continues to attack that. The(y) should review and punish appropriately. Keep #integrity in the game!”

@Joelmbeall: “At this point the outrage shouldn’t be at Patrick Reed but the ecosystem that continues to allow his nonsense to continue.”

Reed himself responded Saturday evening on Twitter to a report that Rory Mcilroy had a similar incident in the third round on the South’s 18th hole, linking to video of a Golf Channel report.

@Preedgolf: “RORY MCILROY @Mcilroyrory DID THE SAME THING TODAY ON HOLE 18! AND DIDN’T EVEN CALL A RULES OFFICIAL OVER TO DEEM THE BALL EMBEDDED. END OF STORY.”

Locals watch

At 6 under, Schauffele is low man among locals.

Rickie Fowler, starting on the 10th hole, got to 3 under with two quick birdies before four bogeys led to a 1over 73 that left him even for the tournament.

Mickelson and Michael Kim each carded a 2-over 74, leaving both at 1 over for the tournament. Both players also started on the South’s 10th hole.

Mickelson birdied two of his first three holes before slipping back with four bogeys. Double bogeys at the par-4 12th and fifth holes were Kim’s undoing.

Interestingly, Mickelson, Kim and Pat Perez are in the same group today starting on No. 10 at 9:10 a.m.

Perez and Kyle Mendoza each shot 5-over 77s.

kirk.kenney@sduniontribune.com