World number one Justin Rose opened the door to his rivals with a bogey at the par-five 18th which cut his lead to three strokes over Adam Scott in the third round at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego on Saturday.
Rose also recorded two double-bogeys but did enough right to card three-under-par 69 and end the day with the same lead as he started at Torrey Pines.
The English golfer posted an 18-under 198 total, while Australian Scott, helped by a 100-yard eagle at the par-four second, raced to the turn in 30 shots on his way to a 65.
Scott birdied the last to move into second at 15 under, with 2017 champion Jon Rahm of Spain another stroke behind after a 68.
Rory McIlroy will start the final round seven shots behind Rose after a five-birdie, two-bogey round of three-under 69 moved him to 11 under.
Leader Rose ran in a series of mid-length putts, few better than a 20-footer from the fringe for eagle at the par-five ninth.
“Three sixes on the card, I played great golf today,” Rose told Golf Channel.
“I was maybe close to shooting 63. When I messed up I messed up big, but I’m pleased with the way I responded to the doubles. I was happy with the way I played.”
Rose threatened to turn the event into a one-man exhibition, going six ahead at one stage, before he pulled his 160-yard approach shot into a penalty area at the par-four 14th and gave back two shots.
At the 18th, Rose considered laying up from the light first cut of rough but in the end had a crack at the green with a fairway metal.
However, his ball came out heavy and found the pond guarding the putting surface.
“Out of the first cut it was probably a little risky,” he said.
Second-placed Scott, making his first appearance in the event a strong one, has long had a great swing and this week he is putting well too with a new grip.
“I did a pretty good job of it all today,” he said of his overall game.
“Sixty-five around the south course, I don’t care what the conditions are, it’s a good score.
“You’ve got to be very happy. I just didn’t make up enough ground on the leader. I’m still lagging way behind.”
He was speaking before Rose’s bogey at the last.
Third-placed Rahm warned not to expect a repeat of his charge to victory in 2017, when he played the final nine holes in 30.
“The fact I shot six under a couple of years ago, it’s a borderline miracle,” he said. “It’s very hard to do that again. The back nine is no joke.”
Tiger Woods started with two bogeys in the first three holes and battled to a 71 that left him 13 shots behind on the course where he won the 2008 US Open.
Collated third round scores & totals in the USPGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open (USA unless stated, par 72):
(a) denotes amateurs
South Course:
198 Justin Rose (Eng) 63 66 69
201 Adam Scott (Aus) 70 66 65
202 Jon Rahm (Spa) 62 72 68
203 Doug Ghim 63 73 67
204 Talor Gooch 69 68 67
205 Joel Dahmen 68 67 70, Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) 66 66 73, Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 71 65 69, Hank Lebioda 70 67 68, Billy Horschel 66 68 71
206 Wyndham Clark 69 67 70, Michael Thompson 68 69 69, Scott Brown 70 68 68, Sang-moon Bae (Kor) 68 67 71, Adam Svensson (Can) 70 67 69
207 Tony Finau 69 69 69, Jason Day (Aus) 67 71 69, Sepp Straka (Aut) 69 67 71, Sung Kang (Kor) 71 70 66, John Huh 68 68 71, Patrick Reed 69 69 69
208 Keegan Bradley 68 71 69, Martin Laird (Sco) 73 66 69, Si Woo Kim (Kor) 67 68 73
209 JT Poston 72 68 69, Jason Kokrak 71 69 69, Xander Schauffele 69 70 70, Ryan Palmer 67 67 75, Danny Willett (Eng) 71 68 70, Robert Streb 69 68 72, Trey Mullinax 70 71 68, Julian Etulain (Arg) 71 67 71, Joaquin Niemann (Chi) 66 73 70, Bill Haas 67 72 70, Jordan Spieth 65 72 72
210 Bud Cauley 66 70 74, Luke List 70 69 71, Matt Jones (Aus) 67 74 69, Sam Ryder 69 69 72, Gary Woodland 71 70 69, Braden Thornberry 71 67 72, Nicholas Lindheim 71 69 70, Sam Burns 70 66 74, Cheng-Tsung Pan (Tai) 64 75 71, Mackenzie Hughes (Can) 70 70 70, Chris Thompson 74 66 70, Russell Knox (Sco) 67 70 73
211 Shawn Stefani 67 74 70, Tiger Woods 70 70 71, Chris Stroud 66 71 74, Scott Stallings 69 71 71, Benjamin Silverman (Can) 68 71 72, Beau Hossler 67 70 74, Brandon Hagy 66 71 74, Charles Howell III 66 70 75, Jonas Blixt (Swe) 68 69 74, Jim Knous 70 71 70, Emiliano Grillo (Arg) 67 74 70, Grayson Murray 68 72 71, Cameron Smith (Aus) 71 69 71, Marc Leishman (Aus) 68 73 70, Nick Taylor (Can) 71 68 72
212 Brandt Snedeker 68 73 71, Sungjae Im (Kor) 72 68 72
213 Stephan Jaeger (Ger) 70 71 72, John Senden (Aus) 68 73 72, Kevin Tway 70 71 72, Cameron Davis (Aus) 72 69 72, Rickie Fowler 73 66 74
214 Nick Watney 72 68 74, John Chin 66 71 77
215 Adam Schenk 72 69 74, Sebastian Munoz (Col) 68 72 75
216 Rory Sabbatini (Svk) 72 68 76, Ryan Blaum 71 70 75
217 Sean O'Hair 71 69 77
219 Morgan Hoffmann 70 70 79
