Patrick Reed moved back into a tie for the lead at the Farmers Insurance Open Saturday, this time with Carlos Ortiz, as the tournament heads into its final round.
Ortiz and Reed shared the lead at 10-under. Five golfers trailed them in third place at 8-under, including Friday’s leader Viktor Hovland.
The others in third are Sam Burns, Lanto Griffin, Jon Rahm and Adam Scott.
Ortiz vaulted up the leaderboard on the strength of a 6-under 66 round. Almost three months ago, at the Houston Open, he logged the first victory by a Mexican at a PGA Tour event since 1978.
His play, though, was overshadowed by questions about a decision by Reed on the 10th hole.
According to the Associated Press:
On the par-4 10th, Reed hit a 190-yard shot out of a bunker with a TV replay showing the ball bounced once before settling into the rough. Believing the ball didn’t bounce, Reed picked it up to see if it was embedded before a rules official arrived. Reed told the official that no one in his group, as well as a nearby volunteer, saw it bounce.
Reed was awarded a free drop and saved par. He bogeyed four of the next holes before birdieing No. 18 for a 2-under 70 and a share of the lead …
Reed later said, as reported by AP, that “we felt like we did the right thing and the rules official said we did absolutely perfectly.”
PGATour.com noted that a tour rules official, Ken Tackett, told the media that “we’re fine with the outcome of the situation (on No. 10).”
Cheating concerns have followed Reed since 2019, when he incurred a 2-stroke penalty for violating a rule that bars a player from interfering with and or soil to aid in making a shot.
San Diego State alum Xander Schauffele, looking to post his best performance at the Open, also made a jump, to a tie for 12th place, with a 4-under 68. His best finish was 25th two years ago.
Other locals, Phil Mickelson, Pat Perez and Kyle Mendoza, sat far back in the pack.
