Four lead Humana Challenge

Erik Compton shares the 54-hole lead at the Humana Challenge

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 25 January 2015

Erik Compton, Bill Haas, Justin Thomas and Michael Putnam share the lead after three rounds of the PGA Tour’s Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation.

Erik Compton, Bill Haas, Justin Thomas and Michael Putnam share the lead after three rounds of the PGA Tour’s Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation.

Compton fired a third round of 67 on the Jack Nicklaus Private Course to join the leaders. The two-time heart transplant recipient birdied three of this last five holes to post a 54-hole total of 199.

“I had a couple of loose drives, but I did well to salvage the round,” he said. “Tomorrow’s a new day.”

Bill Haas scored 69 on the same course as Compton. The 2010 Humana Challenge champion is playing his first tournament since returning from a wrist injury.

“Something to build on,” he said. “But at the back of my mind I know I’m not quite 100%.”

Justin Thomas is continuing the good form he showed in Hawaii. The 21-year-old birdied two of his last three holes on the Palmer Course for a 69. Round one leader Michael Putnam also scored 69, his came at La Quinta.

Matt Kuchar had been two shots ahead after a birdie at the 14th hole. But three bogeys in his last four holes, over the Palmer Course, dropped him back into a tie for fifth place, one behind the leaders.

“It’s too bad, but it’s what happened,” he said. “I still got one more day to make some birdies and try and still put this thing out.”

Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation La Quinta, California Jan 22-25 Purse: $5,700,000

T1 Erik Compton (USA) 66 66 67 199 T1 Bill Haas (USA) 67 63 69 199 T1 Justin Thomas (USA) 68 63 69 199 T1 Michael Putnam (USA) 63 67 69 199 T5 Ryan Palmer (USA) 71 61 68 200 T5 Scott Pinckney (USA) 64 67 69 200 T5 Steve Wheatcroft (USA) 65 67 68 200 T5 Matt Kuchar (USA) 65 64 71 200

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

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Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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