European Ryder Cup sensation Ludvig Aberg’s stunning hole-in-one was the highlight of the third round of the Genesis Invitational, but it was Scottie Scheffler’s remarkable meltdown that was the talk of Torrey Pines.
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The world number one was in a share of the lead after birding the fifth hole, but ended the penultimate round five shots back of leader Patrick Rodgers.
Scheffler signed off on a four-over par round of 76 to sit three-under for the tournament in what was the worst round the reigning Masters and Olympic champion has played in three years.
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He did not put another birdie on his card after the fifth hole as he three-putted for bogey at the par 5 sixth, including missing a four foot, eight inch par putt, and he made the costly mistake of dropping a shot at a par 5 once again to close out the front nine.
That bogey was courtesy of a chip that he managed to get over a bunker but not onto the green as it plonked in the thick greenside rough.
A double bogey at the par 4 14th was the low point of Scheffler’s day however, as he blasted his tee shot left and was forced to take a penalty.
He was incredibly close to being made to take another drop at the 230-yard par 3 16th with a long and left tee shot that just pulled up before the penalty area, and he went on to make another bogey.
Meanwhile, Rodgers shot the equal second-best round of the day with a four-under par 68 to sit eight-under overall, one shot clear of fellow American Denny McCarthy.
The 32-year-old made five birdies was on track for a blemish free round after dropping a monster 42 foot, six inch birdie putt at the 17th.
But, he dunked his third shot at the par 5 18th into the pond in front of the green and made bogey as a result.
The extra shot buffer would have been handy as the 32-year-old chases his maiden PGA Tour victory.
Rodgers has made 286 starts on the primary US Tour and has been runner-up an agonising four times, as well three third place finishes.
If he can break his drought, it would be a fulfilling of the talent he showed more than a decade ago to reach the heights of being the world number one amateur.
Looming two shots back is Aberg who lit up Torrey Pines’ south course with his ace at the scenic 140-yard par 3 third hole.
The 25-year-old flew his wedge shot past the pin and spun the ball back to perfection, and pumped his fists in celebration when he realised it had gone in the cup.
Playing partner Rodgers and their caddies were then swept up in the celebrations with high-fives shared as Aberg lapped up making his first ace on the PGA Tour.
Putting a one on the card also surged him up the leaderboard as Aberg sits in third with a rollercoaster round included four birdies and four bogeys as well as his excellent eagle.
But it was Tony Finau who produced the low round of the day.
The world No. 30 shot a five-under par 67 and it largely came off the back of three spectacular chip-ins, all on the front nine.
Finau was simply on a roll with the infamous Torrey Pines rough proving no obstacle as he holed little greenside chip-ins for birdies at the third, fourth and eighth holes.
To cap things off on the back nine, Finau holed a monster 48 foot birdie putt on the par 3 16th. Remarkably, he needed only 22 putts for the day and he sits four-under for the tournament, in a share of fourth place.
It was a day to forget for Rory McIlroy as he shot two-over to fall to five shots behind Rodgers.
McIlroy struggled on the greens, losing almost four strokes for the day to poor putts, his worst effort in more than a decade.
Australians Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee and Jason Day all had disappointing a day too.
Scott finished three-over par, he is at the same mark for the tournament, with a crazy round that included seven bogeys and four birdies.
Lee and Day are both in the clubhouse at six-over overall with the pair shooting two-over par rounds of 74 apiece in the third round.
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