SAN DIEGO (AP) – K.J. Choi one-putted his last six holes Saturday to salvage an even-par 72 and a share of the lead with Scott Brown going into a final round at the Farmers Insurance Open that seems to have everyone nervous.
The biggest threat might be a forecast of high wind and big rain, and tee times were moved up as early as possible to try to avoid it.
Inside the ropes, the final round figured to be wide open with 16 players separated by three shots.
Choi was headed the wrong direction until he made a pair of birdies, saved par on three straight holes and then hit wedge to 3 feet on the par-5 18th for one last birdie that allowed him to join Brown at 9-under 207.
Brown, whose lone PGA Tour victory was nearly three years ago in Puerto Rico, would not seem to be a candidate to thrive on the South Course at Torrey Pines, the longest on the PGA Tour and a U.S. Open site. But he managed to keep it in play, which is key no matter how far anyone hits it. He had a 70 and goes into Sunday with a great chance to win and earn the Augusta native his first trip to the Masters.