CLASS FROM NOVAK

STEVENS BIRDIES THE NINTH

This is incredible from Stevens, who birdies the ninth hole following a stunning approach. He taps in for a birdie and, sitting at four-under for the day, he is three shots better than any other player on the course right now. Sat at seven-under, he is just two back of Novak.

WHAT A PUTT FROM NOVAK

Wow! That is insane Andrew Novak! He puts his approach long and to the right side of the green and, from 55-feet, he plays his birdie attempt with around 25-feet of brake. Hitting the putt, downwind, his attempt drops in the centre of the cup with dead weight to get him to nine-under. That was incredible!

To make things sweeter, English just misses his par putt from 25-feet as he moves back to seven-under, whilst Potgieter also bogeys to go back to four-under. Huge shift at the fifth.

TORREY PINES IS PLAYING TOUGH

NOVAK MOVES INTO A SHARE OF THE LEAD

After his bunker shot, Potgieter just misses his par attempt on the right side and taps in for bogey. That’s three shots lost in the last two holes following a double bogey-bogey run.

It’s a complete contrast for Novak, who makes back-to-back birdies with a delightful gain at the fourth. He moves to eight-under and, after English rolls in his par putt, into a share of the lead with his fellow countryman

EXCELLENT FROM NOVAK

After a shaky start, Novak plays a delightful approach into the fourth, with a great look for birdie coming up from around seven-feet.

It’s even better news for the 29-year-old, as both English and Potgieter find the bunker short of the green and will have difficult up-and-downs coming up. However, leader English has played a lovely bunker shot, with Potgieter firing it over on to the back edge. They will have mid-range putts for par.

LEFT OFF THE FOURTH

The 496-yard hole is playing straight downwind and first up is Novak, who finds the left side of the fairway and will have a nice look at the approach. In terms of English, he takes out the fairway wood and pulls it left into the rough, whilst Potgieter smashes his drive well up the hole, but also left.

Up ahead, Steven’s incredible start continues, as he birdies the par 4 seventh and gets to six-under, just two back of the leaders. Can he mount a big charge on Saturday?

POTGIETER MAKES DOUBLE

All-in-all, that’s not a bad double bogey for Potgieter, who found himself in trouble twice on the par 3 third. He lags his bogey putt from 50-feet to near gimme range and taps-in for a five to drop back to six-under.

In terms of his playing partners, English’s birdie putt slides by the right side and Novak makes just the second birdie of the day at the third. Impressive play from the American there. In terms of English, he rolls in the par attempt from a few feet and stays one clear at eight-under.

CARNAGE AT THE THIRD

They’ve been waiting on the third tee for 15 minutes but, eventually, the final group play into the green with some mixed results.

Up first is Potgieter, who ends up in the greenside bunker short of the green. It’s a bad break for the South African, who is on the downslope and then thins it over the back edge and will have a tough up-and-down for bogey coming up.

In terms of English and Novak, English flies his shot over the hole and to 15-foot, whilst Novak puts his approach to five-feet. Potential birdies and two shot swings coming up again!

LEADERS WAITING ON THE PAR 3 THIRD

The par 3 third is the signature hole at Torrey Pines’ South Course and, what’s more, it’s rated the hardest hole right now due to the wind, despite measuring just 138-yards.

Following the second, English, Novak and Potgieter are forced to wait on the tee as Matti Schmid, Joel Dahmen and K.H Lee are struggling around the green. The trio have just come off with three bogeys following three incredibly different ways of making them…

ABERG’S STRUGGLES CONTINUE

Ryder Cup star, Ludvig Aberg, had been leading through the first round but, since then, has struggled. The Swede has been battling flu all week and is currently two-over-par through four holes; he is sat at two-under and well back of the leaders.

Speaking of the leaders, they are playing the second, which is the shortest par 4 on the course but playing the hardest. In terms of scores, Potgieter makes a safe par, as does English, who just misses his birdie putt to the left, whilst Novak looks edgy and makes bogey. He starts bogey-bogey and is six-under, two back of the lead.

POTGIETER FINDS THE FAIRWAY AT THE SECOND

It’s been an excellent start for Potgieter, who looks fired up as he finds another fairway with his drive. Along with the South African, English finishes in the first cut to the left of the fairway, whilst Novak is safely on the short stuff, albeit slightly back of Potgieter.

BIRDIE FOR POTGIETER

Perfect start for Potgieter, who makes just the eighth birdie of the day at the first! That was textbook from the South African, who draws level with English, who narrowly fails to get up-and-down from the greenside bunker as he makes a bogey. Along with English, Novak also bogeys the hole and, in 20 minutes, we’ve already seen a two shot swing.

APPROACH SHOTS AT THE FIRST

Winds are gusting to 20mph already and the temperatures are below 60. This is going to be a fun watch as the players navigate this afternoon, certainly as English pushes his approach into the greenside bunker from 185-yards.

It’s a completely different story for Potgieter, who sticks his approach from 145-yards to 13-feet, whist Novak is forced to chip back into the fairway following a poor tee shot. From there, the American finds the green with his third, albeit outside Potgieter’s, but it is a chance to save par.

LEADERS ARE OFF

The final group are off in San Diego and, on the first tee, English pulls his tee shot left of the fairway and into the rough. In terms of Novak, he carves his tee shot the other direction and into the right rough, whilst 20-year-old Potgieter, the youngest professional in the field, pounds his ball down the right side of the fairway. We are officially underway!

STEVENS MAKES A GREAT START

It’s been a great start from Sam Stevens, who has birdied the second and third to move to two-under for his round and five-under for the tournament. He’s made every cut in 2025 and is out the traps well on the South Course.

STRONG START FROM BRYAN

The leaders head out at 11.11am local time, so around 10 minutes from now and, in the early stages, Wesley Bryan has birdied the opening hole to get to five-under-par, four back of English. Along with Bryan, a number of players have made good starts in what should be an enthralling watch over the next few hours.

GOOD EVENING ALL

Hello all, and welcome to Golf Monthly’s live coverage of the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open, which sees a Saturday finish due to the fact the NFL’s Conference Championship games are taking place on Sunday.

Despite a number of withdrawals pre-tournament, we have a thrilling finale in store and, with around 15 players inside five shots of leader, Harris English, as well as strong winds towards the end of the round at Torrey Pines, it really is wide open!