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Justin Thomas rattled off six birdies in a seven-hole stretch en route to a share of the first-round lead with Rickie Fowler and Harold Varner III at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

At seven-under-par 64, the trio led by one stroke from fellow American JT Poston and Scotland's Martin Laird at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.

Cameron Smith is the best-placed Australian, sitting in a tie for 11th after shooting a four-under-par 67

While four of the world's top five are playing on the European Tour in Saudi Arabia this week, No.4 Thomas is the lone exception.

He took a while to warm up on a crisp morning but there was no stopping him once he found his range.

Thomas rolled in a 10-foot birdie at his ninth hole, the par-four 18th, and then a series of brilliant approach shots left him with several tap-ins for birdie.

Earlier, he made an up-and-down par save from 175 yards at his second hole after finding water with his drive.

"I was very in control of everything tee to green," Thomas told reporters.

"I didn't necessarily get off to the greatest start score-wise but felt I was playing well.

"I just continued to stay patient and then was driving it well to where I had wedges and made some fairly low-stress birdies."

Fowler also played early, and a 15-foot eagle at his fourth hole provided a launch pad for his round.

"I've had a lot of success here, played well," said Fowler, who fought back tears after losing a playoff to Hideki Matsuyama three years ago.

Varner tied for the lead by sinking a 30-foot birdie putt at the par-three 16th, perhaps the only hole in golf where players expect to be roundly booed for bad shots.

A temporary memorial will be placed at No. 16 during Saturday's third round to honour Australian golfer Jarrod Lyle.

Lyle died last year from cancer and a replica of his Titleist staff bag and clubs will be on display at the famous party hole.

The memorial will include the 8-iron Lyle used when he ace the hole in 2011.

Adam Scott and Jason Day are set to join forces at the US PGA Tour's Zurich Classic in April in an effort to establish a formidable partnership for the Presidents Cup in Melbourne.

The Australian former world No.1s plan to link up at the two-man teams event, which is held in New Orleans two weeks after the Masters.

Scott's ball-striking brilliance and Day's world-class short game could be a lethal combination, particularly during the foursomes (alternate shot) rounds at TPC Louisiana.

Another benefit of the two major winners linking up is that the Zurich Classic has teams play two rounds each of four-ball and foursomes - both formats used at the biennial Presidents Cup.

The Presidents Cup will be played at Royal Melbourne in December and will feature golf greats Tiger Woods (America) and Ernie Els (International) as rival captains.

Day confirmed he would partner world No.30 Scott, who will be making his Zurich Classic debut.

Scott and Day previously teamed up to win the World Cup of Golf teams title in 2013, at Royal Melbourne.

"We had a brief chat about playing together at Zurich and I can't wait," world No.10 Day told AAP.

"I'm glad we're doing it and I think Scotty and I will make a very good team."

It is believed four-time major winner Els has encouraged International team hopefuls - who hail from a mix of nations excluding the US and Europe - to play practice rounds together on their respective golf tours as a means of bonding.

In 12 editions of the lopsided Presidents Cup, the Internationals have recorded just one win (1998) and one draw (2003).

Scott, who shares the record for most International team appearances (eight), is seen as a team leader and is determined to carry out the wishes of close friend Els.

"Ernie has made his intentions very clear, certainly to me and to all the potential players, how much he wants to improve our chances as a team," Scott said.

"I'm certainly looking for the Internationals to prepare the best they can for the Presidents Cup.

"If we're serious about challenging the US team, we can't just show up this year; we need to prepare."

Jarrod Lyle's unforgettable hole-in-one on the iconic 16th hole at the Phoenix Open is to be honoured with memorial on the TCP Scottsdale golf course.

Lyle, who died last year after a long battle with leukaemia, had the 15,000-strong crowd in the stadium that lines the famous par-3 hole on their feet with his ace during the second round of the 2011 tournament.

It was the popular Australian's first hole-in-one during his professional career and he took off his cap and celebrated hard with the raucous crowd.

Phoenix Open director Chance Cozby said the tournament wanted to honour Lyle.

A temporary memorial will be placed at No. 16 during Saturday's third round, which will be a replica of Lyle's Titleist staff bag stuffed with replica clubs, including the 8-iron he used for the hole-in-one.

A yellow bucket hat, like the one Lyle wore later in his career, will be draped on top, while a plaque painted yellow and displaying the Australian flag as well as details of his memorable feat will be stationed nearby.

"Every player is going to walk on the tee on Saturday and see that monument and see his bag with the yellow bucket hat, and they can all have a quick moment for their friend and his family and celebrate him," Cozby said.

"We wanted to keep it simple and go with his colour, bright yellow, and just put the facts on it."

A permanent marker will also be affixed on the tee to honour all those who aced the hole.

There have only been nine golfers to do so - among them by Hal Sutton, Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods.

World No.1 Justin Rose looked into the camera on the 18th green at Torrey Pines and dedicated his emotional US PGA Tour victory to caddie Mark Fulcher, who is recovering from heart surgery.

Without his caddie of more than 11 years, Rose held off Adam Scott to claim a two-shot win from the Australian at Torrey Pines in California.

Rose said Fulcher, who underwent a heart valve replacement two weeks ago, was in his thoughts as he captured his 10th PGA Tour title - the most by any Englishman since 1945.

Fulcher and Rose teamed up to win the 2013 US Open, the 2016 Olympic gold medal and two World Golf Championships events amid rich form which has taken Rose to the top of world golf.

"Fooch, that was for you, mate," Rose said.

"I'ts been an emotional week; I'm sure watching all weekend was harder than the heart surgery. I love you, and we'll see you soon."

Rose closed with a three-under-par 69 to finish at 21-under, while Scott birdied the last four holes for a 68.

Rose's score of 267 marked the lowest winning 72-hole total at the event since Torrey Pines' South course was re-designed in 2001, eclipsing the 19-under Tiger Woods posted when he claimed the 2008 edition.

The score is remarkable given three of the four rounds are played on the South course, which last season ranked eighth-hardest on the PGA Tour.

Known for its thick rough and fast greens, Torrey Pines hosted the 2008 US Open which Woods won for his 14th major.

"I always pride myself on the golf courses I've been able to win on, and this one is another great course with a lot of history," Rose said.

Rose's $US1.28 million victory took him past $US50 million in career earnings on the PGA Tour, in sixth place on the alltime list, while Scott also achieved that milestone and is seventh after collecting $US766,800.

In the past 14 months, Rose's incredible purple patch includes six victories, 10 other top-five finishes and a total of 21 top-10s.

Meanwhile, Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama (67) and Talor Gooch (68) tied third at 16 under, while Australia's defending champion Jason Day (67) shared fifth alongside Rory McIlroy (69) and 2017 champion Jon Rahm (72) at 14 under.

Woods, an eight-time winner at Torrey Pines, closed with a 67 to tie for 20th at 10 under.

It was Woods' first PGA Tour event of the year and first official tournament since winning the Tour Championship in September.

"I got a little bit sharper each day and my rounds got a little bit cleaner, I made less mistakes," said Woods.

Adam Scott believes a return to his best form is imminent after becoming the first Australian to reach $US50 million on the US PGA Tour with a runner-up finish at the Farmers Insurance Open in California.

In his event debut, Scott finished two shots behind winner Justin Rose, who posted a three-under-par 69 and a 21-under total.

World No.1 Rose's 267 marked the lowest winning 72-hole score at the Torrey Pines event since the South course was re-designed in 2001, eclipsing the 19-under Tiger Woods posted when he claimed the 2008 edition.

Scott closed with four straight birdies for a 68 and his 19-under score would have been enough to win any of the past 10 editions at one of the PGA Tour's most difficult golf courses.

Scott's second-place cheque of $US766,800 took his PGA Tour career prize money to $US50,184,193.

But new world No.30 Scott downplayed his accolade, given the vast increase in PGA Tour purses in the Tiger Woods era.

Greg Norman was the first player in the tour's history to reach $US10 million but now sits only 11th among Australians on the all-time list with $US14,484,458 despite his 20 wins and 331 weeks as world No.1 in the 1980s and 1990s.

"It's a quirky milestone," said Scott of his own achievement. "I think Jason (Day, $US44,051, 497) will be the first Australian to 100 (million)."

Scott switched to an arm-lock putting grip on tournament eve and ranked 14th in the field for strokes gained in putting and first in the field for iron play.

The combination has the former world No.1 convinced he can break his win drought of almost three years and return to golf's top ranks.

"If I can keep this form over the next few months, and I'm in good for the Players and the Masters, I'm going to be play some really good golf," he said.

Rose, a close friend and neighbour of Scott's in the Bahamas, said the Queenslander appeared close to returning to his best.

"He's got the bit between his teeth again; he's got the look in his eye. He's playing really well and swinging it gorgeously," Rose said.

Japan's Hideki Matsuyama (67) and Talor Gooch (68) tied third at 16 under, while defending champion Day (67) shared fifth alongside Rory McIlroy (69) and 2017 champion Jon Rahm (72) at 14 under.

Two-time winner Day gained his fifth top-10 result at Torrey Pines and will return to the world No.10 ranking.

"It's great that I keep playing well here; there a lot of positives to look forward to at the Pebble Beach Pro Am; a place I know I can win at," Day said.

Cameron Smith fired an impressive 65 that earned him a tie for ninth at 12 under, while Matt Jones (67) shared 13th at 11 under.

Marc Leishman (five under), John Senden and Cameron Davis (three under) rounded out the Australian contingent.

Whether it's science or art, American golfer Bryson DeChambeau is making a name for himself for simply winning.

In his most dominant performance yet, the Southern Methodist University graduate with a physics degree known as the "Mad Scientist" in American circles, DeChambeau turned a one-shot lead into a seven-stroke victory on Sunday.

He closed with an 8-under 64 to set the tournament record and win the Dubai Desert Classic for his first European Tour victory and his fourth title in the past five months.

"Being able to win internationally is something that I've always wanted to do after winning so many times in the States," DeChambeau said.

"And to get it at the Dubai Desert Classic is incredible. I couldn't be more honoured to win this event."

The 25-year-old American wasn't entirely happy with his game, even while building a one-shot lead over Li Haotong going into the final day at Emirates Golf Club.

He had few complaints Sunday, however, opening with three straight birdies to expand his lead to four shots.

No one had a chance after that.

"I was trying to shoot 25 under today and missed it by one, but I'm happy with the results for sure. I was trying to go as deep as possible today," DeChambeau said.

He finished on 24-under 264, breaking by one shot the 72-hole record Li had set last year.

Matt Wallace of England had a 68 to finish alone in second at 17-under.

Ian Poulter and Paul Waring each had a 64 and tied for third, along with Sergio Garcia (66) and Alvaro Quiros (68).

Australian duo Jason Scrivener (68) and Lucas Herbert (69) finished in a share of seventh at 15-under.

Li, trying to join Stephen Gallacher as the only back-to-back winners of this event since it began in 1989, stumbled early and was penalised late in his round of 73 to tie for 12th.

He made birdie on the last hole but then received a two-shot penalty when officials determined Li's caddie was on a direct line behind the ball when he took his stance.

That penalty is under the modernised Rules of Golf that took effect this year. Li could have avoided the penalty had he backed off the stroke and retaken his stance.

Adam Scott has turned up the heat on world No.1 Justin Rose ahead of their US PGA Tour final-round showdown at Torrey Pines.

Scott produced a stunning hole-out eagle and slashed a seven-shot deficit as he shot Saturday's best round of seven-under 65 to book a spot alongside Rose and Spanish star Jon Rahm in Sunday's final group at the Farmers Insurance Open.

Englishman Rose had three penalties and still posted a 69 to reach 18-under and lead by three shots from former world No.1 Scott, with Rahm (68) a further shot adrift.

"It's almost all up to him tomorrow; there's no pressure on me," Scott claimed.

"I'm not thinking about winning sleeping tonight, that's for sure."

With five victories in the last 14 months, Rose's game shows few weaknesses and Scott insisted it was the Englishman's tournament to lose.

"He's just playing too good," Scott said. "He's played well for over two years. He's feeling it. He wants to take advantage of all of his good golf and that's why he's running away with this thing."

Seeking his 14th US tour win and first since the WGC-Cadillac Championship in March 2016, Scott has fallen to a world No.42 ranking.

But Rose, a good friend and neighbour of Scott's in the Bahamas, was not falling for any mind games, anticipating a big final-day battle.

"Of course he'd say that," said Rose, laughing off Scott's comments. "He's deflecting from himself.

"Any time he (Scott) gets his name high on the leaderboard, once he gets once he gets a sniff, he hangs tough."

World No.7 Rahm, the 2017 champion at Torrey Pines, also looms as a big factor.

Scott began the day with a birdie at the first hole before holing out from 103 yards with a wedge for eagle at the par-4 second.

It kickstarted a charge as Scott rattled off three straight birdies from the fifth, added another at the par-5 ninth and then played the South course's brutal back nine in one-under.

The 2013 Masters winner combined a ball-striking masterclass - hitting 14 of 18 greens in regulation and 10 of 14 fairways - with another good putting round.

The 38-year-old switched to an arm-lock grip on tournament eve and has ranked 15th in the field for strokes gained in putting through three rounds.

Scott will play in the final group on the last day for the first time since the US PGA Championship in August, where he finished third to Brooks Koepka.

Scott at least has history on his side at California's famed Torrey Pines.

Tiger Woods is the only 54-hole leader to win in the previous 10 editions of the PGA Tour event, with six of the other nine champions starting at least three shots off the pace.

"This is not a course I can go out and just fire at pins," said Scott.

"It's too easy to make big errors. I'll just have to chip away and see if he (Rose) can do the same."

Meanwhile, Jason Day picked up three shots during a 69 which improved him to tied 16th at nine under, with countryman Matt Jones (69) at six under.

Cameron Smith (71) and Marc Leishman (70) are a shot back at five under, while John Senden and Cameron Davis (both 72) are both three under.

Woods, an eight-time winner at Torrey Pines, picked up one shot in a round of 71 and finished at five under.

Australian Lucas Herbert surrendered the lead in the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament to Bryson DeChambeau after a deserved penalty and four bogeys in his third round.

Herbert had shared the second-round lead with American but received a two-stroke penalty on Saturday for improving his lie in a bunker at the third hole.

The Victorian grounded his club in the sand and used his wedge to move loose impediments around his ball, with the incident caught on camera.

Herbert was only informed about the penalty while walking down the fairway on the ninth hole.

He recovered late to make par and sit four shots off the pace in equal fifth with Finland's Kalle Samooja, Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen and Spaniard Alvaro Quiros.

Meanwhile, World No.5 DeChambeau fired a four-under 68 in the third round to take a one-shot lead over defending champion Li Haotong.

DeChambeau, who is bidding to claim his maiden European Tour victory, had two straight bogeys on the seventh and eighth holes but ended the round strongly with four birdies after the turn, for a total of six on the day, to go 16-under for the tournament.

Hot on DeChambeau's heels is Li, who shot a third straight round of 67, finishing with two consecutive birdies, to come back into contention.

Four-times major winner Ernie Els was two strokes behind the Chinese golfer, tied for third alongside England's Matt Wallace.

Australian Jason Scrivener scraped through one-under in his third round to sit in equal ninth.

Scott Hend hit four bogeys to finish three-over and down in equal 51st place, while Wade Ormsby carded a forgettable four bogeys and a double bogey to finish five-over and 10 places below his compatriot.

Finally, Sam Brazel is down in equal 67th with his 13th hole eagle not enough to salvage three bogeys and a double bogey, which put him two over.

With his son Jacob facing MRI scans every three months, Australian veteran John Senden admits it is tough to focus on his US PGA Tour career.

But the 47-year-old managed to avoid thinking about his son's brain tumour treatments briefly while making the 36-hole cut on the number at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

Senden battled the notoriously difficult South course at Torrey Pines during a one-over 73 on day two which left him at three-under for the tournament.

The Queenslander made the weekend at a PGA Tour event for the first time since November.

Although he sits 12 shots back of 36-hole leader Justin Rose (66), two more solid rounds will go a long way towards Senden's major medical exemption.

The two-time PGA Tour winner needs to earn 280 FedEx Cup points from three starts, which includes this week, in order to secure fully exempt status for the remainder of the season.

However, he can also draw on conditional status as a past champion.

Senden is playing on a major medical having taken an extended break from the PGA Tour in 2017 when Jacob was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of 13.

Jacob battled through six rounds of chemotherapy and radiation treatments between April and November that year.

Senden, a prolific ball-striker, is now getting back in the swing of tournament golf and even shared fifth at the Australian Open recently.

But he concedes his mind is not always on golf, even during competition.

"It's tricky ... probably 75 per cent of the time I'm able to focus," Senden told AAP.

"The whole thing has improved ... (the tumour) has gotten smaller and Jacob feels pretty good.

"(Wife) Jackie is at home in Dallas taking good care of Jacob and that makes me feel great.

"Jacob is going steady but treatment has whacked him pretty good; his immune system fluctuates now so every time he gets a bug or a cold he goes down for a week or so.

"We need to keep monitoring him; all this year he will have MRIs every three months ... then that will change to six-monthly and then 12-monthly and do that for 10 years.

"When it comes closer to the day of an MRI, you get a bit worried but as soon as you get good news it's a relief."

Adam Scott insists forecasted strong winds will make it tough for world No.1 Justin Rose to run away with the Farmers Insurance Open lead during Saturday's third round.

Scott produced an impressive eagle in a solid second round at the US PGA Tour event at California's Torrey Pines but still finished seven shots back of Englishman Rose.

Rose made light work of Torrey Pines' notoriously difficult South course during a six-under 66 that elevated him to 15-under - three shots ahead of Hideki Matsuyama (66), with 2017 champion Jon Rahm (72) sharing third at 10-under.

Former world No.1 Scott stunned the crowd with a 218-yard second shot he fired into the par-5 17th (his eighth) for a tap-in eagle, which highlighted a 66 that gave him an eight-under total and a share of ninth.

The tournament's final 36 holes will be played on the South course, which was ranked the eighth-hardest on the PGA Tour last year and hosted the 2008 US Open.

Winds of up to 25km/h predicted for day three won't make the task any easier.

"Winds are good for the guys trailing because it gives you a chance to have a good round and make up some ground," Scott said.

"Of course the leaders feel a little bit more pressure, too. It's very easy to make errors on that South course."

Rose is looking to continue his purple patch which includes a win, two runner-ups and three other top-five results in his past nine starts worldwide.

But 13-time PGA Tour winner Scott is confident of making up ground on Rose, having showed flashes of his ball-striking brilliance on Friday.

Combined with a hot putter, Scott hit 13 of 18 greens in regulation and found 11 of 14 fairways.

"Some good ball-striking over the weekend will go a long way because it's hard to get it going for 18 holes out there; it's just so difficult.," Scott said.

Scott is the leading Australian, two shots ahead of defending champion Jason Day (71) at six-under.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods conceded it would take a miracle to claw his way back into contention following a 70 which left him at four-under and 11 shots adrift of Rose.

"I'm going to have to play a very special weekend to have a chance," he said.

"I'm pretty far back and the South course, it's tough."

Cameron Smith (69) is next best of the Australians at four-under, while John Senden (73), Marc Leishman (73), Matt Jones (74) and Cameron Davis (69) all sit at three-under.

Queensland veteran Rod Pampling (seven over) missed the cut.