Stephan Jaeger holds on to lead at Farmers Insurance Open
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Stephan Jaeger, who had six bogeys and four birdies to that point, stuck his third shot at the same hole inside 6 feet of the pin.
PHOTO: AFP
SAN DIEGO – Torrey Pines bit back on Jan 26, but Germany’s Stephan Jaeger “mentally attacked” the golf course and maintained a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego.
The golfers who made the three-under tournament cut are playing the third and fourth rounds at Torrey Pines’ famed South Course.
Jaeger posted a one-over 73 to slip to 11-under 205, but the 34-year-old still found himself on top after a shake-up on the par-five 18th hole.
Thomas Detry of Belgium was alone in the lead at 11 under when his third shot at the 543-yard hole landed in the greenside water hazard. After a penalty stroke, he managed only a double-bogey and fell to nine under.
Jaeger, who had six bogeys and four birdies to that point, stuck his third shot at the same hole inside six feet of the pin.
He converted the ensuing birdie putt to move up to 11 under, one shot clear of France’s Matthieu Pavon (72) and Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard (73). Detry also signed for a 73 and is alone in fourth.
“Super happy with how (I) mentally kind of attacked the golf course in different places now,” Jaeger said.
“I didn’t have my best stuff (Friday), so I’d love to putt a little better, hit a little more fairways (Saturday). But it’s golf.”
Jaeger is the world No. 101 and has won six times on the Korn Ferry Tour but not on the PGA Tour yet.
Should he win, he is projected to move to the top of the new “Aon Swing 5” standings and therefore qualify for next week’s signature event, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
He called winning a “learnt skill”. “I remember Brooks (Koepka) saying that he just does his stuff in Majors and all of a sudden here comes Sunday afternoon, he’s there,” Jaeger added.
“That’s so much harder done than said. Like I said, it’s definitely something I’ve done before, but I’m going to lean on stuff I’ve been really working on the last six months or a year.”
Will Zalatoris, playing in his third tournament back from a lengthy injury absence, shot his second straight 68 and is part of a large group tied for 10th at seven under which also includes Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Xander Schauffele (72).
In women’s golf, hometown hero Nelly Korda took a two-shot lead after the second round of the LPGA Drive On Championship in Bradenton, Florida.
The American birdied three of her final four holes at Bradenton Country Club to card a four-under 67 and enter the weekend at 10-under 132, passing second-placed Lee So-mi of South Korea (65). REUTERS