-10 P Reed (US), C Ortiz (Mex); -8 S Burns (US), L Griffin (US), V Hovland (Nor), J Rahm (Spa), A Scott (Aus) |
Selected others: -7 R McIlroy (NI); -6 T Finau (US), X Schauffele (US); -2 T Lewis (Eng), F Molinari (Ita) |
American Patrick Reed benefitted from a controversial drop to share the lead after the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open in California.
Reed’s second shot from a bunker on the 10th found the rough. Believing the ball was “embedded into the turf”, he moved it before calling an official.
The official deemed it had been embedded, allowing Reed a free drop. He then holed the putt for par.
But TV replays showed the ball bounced once before settling into the rough.
“The rules official said we did it absolutely perfectly,” said 30-year-old Reed, the 2018 Masters champion.
“When we’re out there, we can’t see everything and when that happens, you have to go by what the volunteers say, with what the rules officials say.
“When all comes to push and shove, we felt like we did the right thing.”
In December 2019 Reed was given a two-stroke penalty at the Hero World Challenge for improving the lie of his ball when he moved sand in a bunker with his practice swing.
Reed is 10 under at Torrey Pines, along with Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz, having picked up five shots before the turn.
After the drop incident, he bogeyed four of his next eight holes.
Reed and Ortiz lead by two shots from a group of five that includes Spain’s Jon Rahm and Australian Adam Scott, while Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is on seven under.
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