PGA TOUR: Stroud slips following third-round 74

Published 8:06 pm Saturday, January 26, 2019

Ineffective bunker play and inability to give himself birdie opportunities doomed Chris Stroud to a third-round 74 Saturday on the South Course at Torrey Pines in the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open.

Stroud made only two birdies — none of them on par-5 holes — and four bogeys during a round that saw him drop from tied for 18th to T46 at 211 entering Sunday’s final round. He shot 66 Thursday on his first trip around the South Course and backed it up Friday with a 71 on the North Course.

World No. 1 Justin Rose, despite two double bogeys, shot a 69 for a 54-hole total of 198 and continues to be the man everybody is chasing. He’s three shots clear of Adam Scott, who shot 65 on Saturday and four ahead of Jon Rahm.

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It was not hard to figure out why Stroud posted his first over-par score of the week. All four of his bogeys came after he failed to get up-and-down out of a greenside bunker. On the par 5s, his birdie putts were from 23 feet, 11 inches, 30-8, 56-5 and 35-6. None of them went in.

Other than his two birdies — from 3 feet on the first hole and 9 feet on the 10th hole — the Port Neches-Groves ex never had a birdie putt inside 20 feet. He hit 8 of 14 fairways and only 10 of 18 greens in regulation.

Both of his birdies were immediately followed by a bogey, quickly blunting any momentum.

Among 13 players tied with Stroud at 211 were Tiger Woods (71) and former Lamar teammate Shawn Stefani (70). Stroud has never been paired with Woods.