SAN DIEGO — Joel Dahmen joined the PGA Tour too late to witness Tiger Woods at his peak in Torrey Pines. but, on Saturday, he experienced what could be considered a close second — Justin Rose playing exceptionally well and leaving the competition feeling defeated at the Farmers Insurance Open.
Rose expanded his lead to as much as eight shots in a display that Woods would certainly admire. While he encountered a few hiccups on the back nine, he finished with a 4-under 68, leading by six strokes, marking the largest 54-hole advantage in the tournament since Woods had an eight-shot lead in 2008.
“I’ve enjoyed playing the golf course this week. I want to continue enjoying the overall experience,” Rose noted. “And yes, it’s another fantastic round in pleasant weather on a magnificent golf course.”
Starting with a four-shot lead, Rose increased his advantage with an impressive stretch of three consecutive birdies on the front nine — a pitching wedge landing 6 feet from the back pin on No. 5, a 7-wood reaching pin-high on the par-5 sixth, and a 9-iron skillfully maneuvered over a tree to 5 feet with the pin placed right above a bunker.
“He aimed for some pins that were quite impressive, and then he made it to 4 feet and tapped in for birdie,” Dahmen commented. “You know you’re playing at an elite level when you’re performing like that, and it was pretty much one after another.”
Yet, it was the seventh hole that truly caught his interest, even though Rose modestly admitted he wasn’t intending to be quite that bold.
“There’s no room for error,” Dahmen explained. “The wind starts picking up from that canyon, making everything play longer. So he had to hit it high over the tree from the first cut — it could either fly or come out flat. But he launched it impressively, landing it to 4 feet.”
“You don’t attempt that shot in practice, let alone with a six- or seven-shot lead on a Saturday,” he added. “At that moment, it was basically like, ‘Alright, you win.’
Rose reached 21-under 195, setting a new 54-hole tournament record, breaking the previous mark by three shots, which he had tied in 2019, sharing the record with Kyle Stanley (2012), Woods (2008), and Woody Blackburn (1985). Of those, Stanley is the only player who didn’t go on to win despite holding a five-shot lead.
Rose is seasoned enough to never take success for granted. He once experienced the fallout of Dustin Johnson, then the world No. 1, losing a six-shot advantage in the 2017 HSBC Champions.
“There will never be any room for complacency,” Rose stated. “I’ve always got enough respect for the game of golf in the back of my mind that I have to perform perfectly tomorrow. It’s essential to remain focused and play well.”
Woods virtually dominated the public course along the Pacific bluffs with eight professional victories, including a U.S. Open title.
Brooks Koepka, returning to the PGA Tour after his stint with LIV Golf, played reasonably well, aside from his struggles with short putts. He turned a 3-foot par attempt into a double bogey on the par-3 11th, and a 3-foot birdie attempt turned into a bogey on the par-5 ninth, his concluding hole. He missed six putts from inside 5 feet, finishing with a score of 73.
“I’ve never felt at ease on poa [bluegrass]. Once you miss a few, your confidence plummets,” he remarked. “I tried to take out the break to stay aggressive like I usually do, but I wasn’t even making it to the hole. I’ll chalk it up as just a rough day. Overall, I’m satisfied with everything else.”
Is it over?
“My only hope is that [Rose] forgets to set his alarm or somehow starts hitting into the rough on the back nine,” Dahmen said after his 68, which left him six shots behind, leading the B-flight. “I don’t know. Considering how he’s playing, I’d be happy to settle for second place.”
This is a significant week for Dahmen, who fell outside the FedEx Cup top 100 in the year the tour altered its cutoff for full cards. He holds conditional status and gained entry into the Farmers Insurance Open due to two courses permitting a larger field.
He has also received a sponsor exemption for the WM Phoenix Open next week, making this an opportune moment to turn his luck around. A strong showing on Sunday would do wonders.
Meanwhile, Rose continues to relish what he has called his “Indian summer.”
At 45, he was the oldest member by seven years on Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup squad. whether or not approached — in the event Luke Donald declines a third captaincy — Rose indicated last week that his focus would remain on competing in the 2027 Ryder Cup.
A win would elevate him to as high as No. 4 in the world rankings.
“Justin is really excelling in golf right now,” Dahmen concluded.
