Farmers Insurance Open: Harris English Leads After Third Round

Harris English takes the lead at the Farmers Insurance Open with a thrilling hat-trick of birdies on the final three holes.

Harris English Seizes Lead at Farmers Insurance Open with Late Birdie Surge

Harris English catapulted into the lead at the Farmers Insurance Open with a thrilling hat-trick of birdies on the final three holes at Torrey Pines in southern California. The 35-year-old's impressive finish propelled him to a six-under-par 66, moving him to nine under for the tournament through 54 holes.

English is now in contention for his first PGA Tour win since his victory at the Travelers Championship in 2021. Following a chaotic second round, which saw strong gusts disrupt play and inflate scores, Friday's third round brought a return to normalcy, with calmer conditions prevailing at the picturesque Torrey Pines course.

English took full advantage of the improved weather, compiling a round that featured seven birdies and only one bogey. His late charge began with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole, which sparked a sequence of three consecutive birdies. On the 17th, English's impressive 170-yard second shot from a fairway bunker set up a seven-footer for birdie, which he converted to move into a share of the lead.

LATEST: Harris English (-9) closes out his round with three straight birdies to lead by one after the Third Round of play at the Farmers Insurance Open. pic.twitter.com/kFFoWQrss4

— BogeyBlasters (@BogeyBlasters) January 25, 2025

English saved his best for last, delivering a clutch performance on the par-five 18th hole. He hit his third shot to within three feet of the pin, setting up a straightforward birdie putt that secured sole possession of the lead. With this momentum, English is now poised to make a strong bid for the title in the final round.

Harris English's Momentum Boosts His Chances at Farmers Insurance Open

Harris English reflected on his impressive finish, saying, “Had some really good numbers on those last three holes and sometimes you've just got to be aggressive when you have really good numbers.” English's bold approach paid off, and he's now looking forward to the final round. “It's nice to finish like that, some good momentum heading into tomorrow,” he added.

Andrew Novak will be the main challenger to English's lead on Saturday. The 29-year-old North Carolina native carded a bogey-free 66, featuring six birdies and 12 pars, to move to eight under for the tournament. Novak's round gained momentum with a streak of four birdies in five holes starting at the ninth on Torrey Pines's south course. He capped off his round with a brilliant 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th green. When asked about the possibility of a nervy finale on Saturday, Novak remained unfazed. “I've been nervous a lot of times playing golf, it's just part of it,” Novak said. “You just have to step up and hit the golf shot. It's going to come down to that tomorrow.”

Closing birdie gives Harris English the 54-hole lead!

10 years after losing a playoff at Torrey Pines, he's +140 @DKSportsbook to lift the 🏆 pic.twitter.com/abzE0HWU6o

— Golfbet (@Golfbet) January 25, 2025

Aldrich Potgieter sits in third place on seven under after carding a five-under-par 67. The 20-year-old South African's round included a spectacular eagle two on the par-four 12th, where he holed out from 173 yards. Potgieter's impressive play has positioned him well for a strong finish on Saturday.

A group of four players – Germany's Matti Schmid, South Korea's Lee Kyoung-Hoon, Joel Dahmen, and Lanto Griffin – are tied for fourth on five under, four strokes behind the leader. As the tournament heads into its final round, the competition is expected to intensify, with several players still in contention for the top spot.