RAHM KEEPS PALMER, MCLLROY AT BAY, LEADS BY A SHOT; TIGER FIVE BACK
SAN DIEGO—JON Rahm is playing some of his best golf with two victories and a runner-up in his last four tournaments. He was at his best on Saturday at Torrey Pines, holing a chip for birdie and a full gap wedge for eagle to start his round.
Even after a 7-under 65 for a one-shot lead in the Farmers Insurance Open, Rahm knows as well as anyone that the hard work is still in front of him, mainly because of whoever might be behind him.
Three years ago, that was Rahm. He made two eagles over the last six holes for a 66 to capture his first PGA Tour title. This year, it could be Ryan Palmer and Rory Mcllroy in the final group, maybe even Tiger Woods from five shots back.
“The back nine three years ago? It will do absolutely nothing, really,” Rahm said. “The only thing it’s going to do is keep me focused, no matter how good I’m playing, knowing that somebody can come and do the same thing.”
After a two-hour fog delay, Rahm had the ideal start.
He chipped in from just off the green at No. 1. Then, he hit a gap wedge from 111 yards that landed short of the hole and rolled in for an eagle.
Equally important was saving par on No. 5, and then on Nos. 12, 14 and 15, each of them feeling just as good as birdies.
It led to the low round of the day. He was at 12-under 204 and had a one-shot lead over Palmer, whose card was a mixture of birdies and bogeys until a 10-foot birdie on the 17th gave him a 71.
Rahm and Palmer have good history. They were teammates at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans and won. This time they’re on their own, with company.
Mcllroy can go to No. 1 in the world with a victory, and after a poor finish on Friday, he got it right this time. Mcllroy hit a 5-iron from a bunker on No. 12—the third-toughest hole of the day—to six feet for birdie. He also powered a 3-wood over the water to 20 feet on the par-5 18th that set up an easy birdie for a 67.
That left him three shots behind and in the final group with Rahm, the first time they’ve played together on Sunday on the PGA Tour.
“It was nice to shoot a good third round here and get myself a little bit closer,” Mcllroy said. “There’s a lot of guys like 6-, 7-, 8-under par. Need to go out and try to replicate what I did today. If I can do that, I’ll have a good shot.”
Woods finished with a 15foot putt—his longest of the round—on the par-5 18th, and hopes it will give him some momentum going into Sunday.