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The PGA Tour rookie of the year last season was tied with Day at
14-under 202 heading into Saturday's final round. The tournament
was moved up a day to avoid a television conflict with the NFL
conference championship games Sunday.
Zalatoris started the day six shots off the lead, which was
shared by three players, including world No. 1 Jon Rahm of Spain
and Justin Thomas, ranked No. 6.
Rahm shot an even-par 72 on Friday and fell into a third-place
tie with England's Aaron Rai (68) at 13 under. A group of three
at 12 under included Thomas (73), Cameron Tringale (72) and
South Korea's Sungjae Im (68).
An eagle 2 at the 381-yard, par-4 second hole got Zalators'
third round off to a hot start. He hit a 338-yard drive to 38
yards from the pin and chipped in from there, landing the ball
on the front of the green before it rolled to the cup.
He added five birdies, including three in a row at Nos. 8-10,
leaving Zalatoris in prime position for his first PGA Tour
victory. He made a splash last season when he finished second at
the Masters.
Yet his best shot Friday might have come from an awkward lie in
the bunker at No. 11. He hacked the ball out of the sand that
was above his feet, into the rough in front of the green, and it
released to within an inch from the cup for a par.
"(The second hole) was pretty awesome, but the one on 11 was
just kind of a joke," Zalatoris said. "That's a shot that you're
having an up-and-down contest with your buddies, you're just
trying to get it somewhere on the green and I just got away with
it. Two is probably a little bit more important in my opinion
just because it got the momentum right for the day."
Day had a pair of birdies on the front nine before closing
strong with a wild final seven holes. He followed a bogey 5 at
No. 12 with birdies at Nos. 13, 16, 17 and 18 to grab a tie for
the lead.
Day is a 12-time winner on the PGA Tour, winning the Farmers
Insurance Open in both 2015 and 2018.
"It's nice to be able to know that I've done it on the golf
course twice, not only in regulation but also in playoffs, but
tomorrow's a new day and you don't know what's going to come,"
Day said. "I've just got to kind of get a good rest tonight, get
into it tomorrow and just be patient."
After a 66 in the opening round and a 65 on Thursday to grab a
share of the lead, Rahm stumbled Friday with a double-bogey 6 at
No. 10. He put his second shot just over the green and found the
edge of the green again on his chip back to the pin. He missed
an 11-foot putt for bogey and had just one more birdie the rest
of the day.
"I played great, I think," Rahm said. "I feel like I played a
lot better than the score shows. There was only two holes where
I struggled and probably gave a couple too many back. Today's
one of those days that happened at Torrey Pines South. I played
great golf but I just couldn't take the opportunities and it's
going to be hard to shoot low."
Thomas' struggles included a pair of bogeys on the front nine
and another pair on the back. He added three birdies on the
front side.
The low round of the day belonged to Cameron Young, whose
8-under 64 was only able to move him into a five-way tie for
eighth place at 11 under. Also at 11 under was first-round
leader Billy Horschel (69).
--Field Level Media
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