Sunday 8 February 2015 07:06, UK
JB Holmes and Harris English will head into the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open tied for the lead as Ian Poulter was left to rue a poor finish at Torrey Pines.
Holmes vaulted 15 places up the leaderboard with a four-under 68, the joint-best round of the third day in tough scoring conditions on the South Course, while overnight leader English stumbled to a 73 as both closed on nine under par.
In-form Ryder Cup star Jimmy Walker is just a shot off the lead alongside a resurgent former US Open champion Lucas Glover, with dominant American players occupying 10 of the top 12 places.
But Poulter bogeyed two of the last four holes to slip three strokes behind the leaders, while Laird dropped four shots in a back-nine as the Scot tumbled out of the top 20 to four under.
Holmes was the big mover on the day and he leapt into contention early with a run of three birdies in four holes from the fourth, although he did give a shot back at the fifth.
The 32-year-old picked up further shots at the 10th, 13th and 14th to claim the outright lead, but he then bogeyed 15 and 17 - where he went out-of-bounds - before recovering from hitting a spectator with a wayward drive at the last to finish with his seventh birdie of the round.
"I had a great round and put myself in position for Sunday. that's all you can ask for," Holmes said. "The course was playing tough but I made it around and I made a few putts.
"The greens are fast and firm and the rough is tough. If you don't hit it in the fairway you are going to have trouble getting to the green and if you don't put it on the right side, you are going to have trouble making par."
First mistake
English started the day with a two-shot lead after a flawless first two days, and he extended his advantage with an opening birdie before blotting his card for the first time in the tournament at the fourth as he ran up a scrappy double-bogey six.
He got back to 10 under with a birdie at the 13th, but he erred again at the short 16th and saved par from 16 feet at 17 before parring the last to return a 73 which left him tied for the lead with Holmes.
Glover set the early clubhouse target at eight under with a superb chip-in for eagle at the last which salvaged a 70, a score matched by Walker after a solid three-birdie round.
Spencer Levin also carded a 70 to move to eight under alongside Chad Campbell, who made a hole-in-one at the 143-yard third hole before struggling on the inward stretch.
Campbell bogeyed the 12th and 15th holes, but he bounced back with birdies at 17 and 18 to rejoin the scrum at eight under, which increased further when Nick Watney handed in a workmanlike 72 featuring 16 pars, one birdie and a bogey.
Humana Challenge winner Bill Haas is just two off the lead along with Australian Jason Day, while Poulter failed to build on a solid two-under front nine as three dropped shots after the turn added up to a disappointing 72.
Laird is at four under with Jamie Donaldson and Greg Owen, and Shane Lowry has an outside chance of his first PGA Tour title as a 72 left him six shots off the lead.
Watch the final round from Torrey Pines live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Coverage starts at 6pm.
