What Happened to Theegala on Moving Day as Rose Takes Charge at Torrey Pines?
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Key Takeaways
San Diego, Feb 1 (NationPress) Sahith Theegala faced challenges on the moving day at the Farmers Insurance Open, posting a 1-over 73 that dropped him from tied-sixth to tied-20th after the third round at Torrey Pines.
The Indian-American golfer, who started strong with rounds of 66 and 69, now stands at 8-under with just one round left. Competing on the tough South Course, Theegala recorded three birdies against four bogeys and struggled to maintain his position as the leaders advanced.
At the forefront, Justin Rose maintained his dominance, expanding his lead to six shots over the competition. Following his impressive opening rounds of 62 and 65, Rose delivered a consistent 4-under 68, bringing his total to 21-under 195, thus setting a new 54-hole tournament record. This achievement surpassed the previous record he set during his victory in 2019 and matched the historical performances of Kyle Stanley (2012), Tiger Woods (2008), and Woody Blackburn (1985). Notably, Stanley was the only one from this group who did not convert his lead into a win.
Rose, who began the day with a four-shot advantage, even managed to extend his lead to eight at one point.
Joel Dahmen climbed to second place at 15-under after a 4-under 68 in the third round. The American golfer, who previously finished outside the top 100 in the FedExCup during a year when the PGA TOUR limited full cards to 125, is competing this week on conditional status, having gained entry due to the two-course setup allowing for a larger field. The Farmers Insurance Open serves as a vital opportunity for Dahmen to collect crucial points and build momentum at the start of the season.
Among other players of Indian descent in the tournament, Akshay Bhatia missed the cut with rounds of 76 and 69, while Sudarshan Yellamaraju from Canada finished with a score of 71 after rounds of 74 and 67, placing tied-45th.
Brooks Koepka, making his return to the PGA TOUR, had a challenging day on the greens. Despite playing well for extended periods, Koepka faced difficulties with short putts, turning a three-foot par attempt into a double bogey on the par-3 11th, and missing a three-foot birdie opportunity on the par-5 ninth, his final hole. He missed six putts from within five feet and ended with a score of 73.