SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Brian Harman survived 30 mph wind by playing the final 13 holes without a bogey, giving him an even-par 72 and a three-shot lead in a Valero Texas Open so difficult that only six players managed to break par.
Harman had his chance to join them until narrowly missing a 12-foot birdie attempt on the final hole at the TPC San Antonio.
He was more than satisfied to finish with his first 54-hole lead since he won the British Open two years ago at Royal Liverpool. That also was his last victory, and Harman has a great chance to end that drought.
“Just a tough day, man,” Harman said. “When you get around this place and the wind blows and the pins are tucked, it’s just a really hard day.”
He was at 12-under 204, three shots clear of Andrew Novak (69), with Tom Hoge (68) another shot behind going into the final round. Keith Mitchell had a 73 and was five behind. Mitchell and Novak need to win to get into the Masters next week.
Novak also is looking for his first PGA Tour title, and he has a wall to thank for his chances.
He hit 5-iron well to the right on the par-3 16th hole. It hit the wall below the grandstands and bouncing into the rough and onto the green about 5 feet for a most unlikely birdie.
“Obviously, not a great shot, but I know if it’s over there, there’s some space, it can be OK,” Novak said. “I didn’t expect it to kick back and go on the green. That was obviously ridiculous. Not the best swing and sometimes golf rewards you.”
There were not many rewards on this day, with a wind out of the opposite direction. No one could reach two of the par 5s on the Oaks course, and the average score was nearly two shots over par.
Harman was 2 over for his round when he made a pair of late birdies from the bunker, on the par-5 14th and the reachable par-4 17th.
Mitchell also made birdie on those holes, which spoke to the difficulty of the wind and the back nine and challenge facing everything.
“That (17) and 14 were really the only two birdie chances we had all day,” Mitchell said. “Everything else you were just trying to find a green, trying to find a way to just stop the ball. Just wish I was a little closer to Brian. He made two birdies coming in. Still got a chance.”
Hoge might have had the most remarkable round because he didn't post a single bogey. He was in the second group to tee off and noticed right away it was going to a challenge, not so much the crackle of the flags but the hard bounces on the green. Into the wind, or with the wind at the players' back, it wasn't easy to get anything close.
The wind came out of an opposite direction from the previous two rounds.
“Just tried to make as many pars as I could,” Hoge said. “Even the downwind holes right off the start on hole 1, I had a 56-degree wedge, I wasn’t sure I could hit the green with it because it was bouncing that much when I did land the green.”
Mitchell got the bounce and roll just right on the 10th hole when his ball stopped inches away for an easy birdie, and he holed a birdie putt from just inside 10 feet on the 12th. Hoge also birdied the 14th and 17th holes, the two easiest for scoring in the third round.
Only three other holes played under par.
Sam Ryder, who started with a 63, had eight 5s on his card and posted a 77 to go from playing in the final group to being out of contention.
Patrick Cantlay ended the front nine with a pair of bogeys, both times missing par putts from 5 feet or closer, and shot 74 to finish eight shots behind. Jordan Spieth was in the group another shot behind after a 73.
Harman could easily slid back to the pack as tough as it was on the front nine. He hit a great chip to a foot on the par-3 seventh, saved par from a bunker on the par-5 eighth and escaped with par on the ninth with a 6-foot putt.
“Just leaning on my short game today, chipped it in there close a few times,” Harman said. “The stat sheet won’t say it, but I made some solid par putts — 5-footers, 6-footers, 8-footers — that don't show up as pretty. But they sure keep your round alive.”
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Brian Harman tees off on the 10th hole during the first round of the Texas Open golf tournament, Thursday, April 3, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. (AP Photos/Rodolfo Gonzalez)
TRIESTE, Italy & MILAN, Italy--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 10, 2025--
Fincantieri, a global leader in complex shipbuilding, and Accenture (NYSE: ACN), one of the world’s leading professional services companies, have signed an agreement to establish Fincantieri Ingenium, a new joint venture. The company will be owned 70% by Fincantieri NexTech—a subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group—and 30% by Accenture. The initiative stems from a Memorandum of Understanding signed in July 2024 and combines Fincantieri’s technological expertise in the naval sector with Accenture’s advanced digital capabilities and digital engineering and manufacturing expertise.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250410805533/en/
Fincantieri Ingenium has been created to accelerate digital transformation across the cruise, defense, and port infrastructure sectors. It will play a key role in executing the strategy outlined in Fincantieri Group’s Industrial Plan. The goal is to enhance the offering of digital services and systems based on recent advances in technologies such as artificial intelligence by optimizing the entire value chain through data utilization and process transformation.
The joint venture will integrate Accenture’s extensive experience in digital platforms, AI, connectivity and IoT, cybersecurity, and service design with Fincantieri’s deep technological know-how in the naval and defense industries. This powerful combination will enable the development of new technological capabilities and skills, while also attracting and training new talent.
Among the first strategic initiatives of the new company is the development of Navis Sapiens, a digital ecosystem designed for next-generation ships and the upgrade of existing fleets. The project spans three key dimensions: the creation of a portfolio of application services to optimize operational efficiency and lifecycle management for ships and onshore infrastructure; the development of a digital platform enabling these applications and advanced AI-driven functionalities, with a strong focus on cybersecurity; and a marketplace to facilitate the exchange of solutions—including those from third parties—to deliver high value-added services and enable new business models across the maritime ecosystem. The first ship equipped with Navis Sapiens is expected to enter service by the end of 2025.
In synergy with Navis Sapiens, the joint venture also plans to enhance real-time data exchange and connectivity between ships and onshore ecosystems—including ports and shipyards—through a sea-to-shoreinteroperability solution to increase cross-functional process efficiency. This project will help improve the competitiveness of Italian ports by optimizing performance across the entire maritime and land-based value chain. All initiatives will be promoted with sustainability as a core pillar. The systems will be designed to reduce environmental impact through data-driven energy optimization, supporting shipowners in reducing fuel consumption. The initiatives already underway, as well as those to come, will generate significant value for Fincantieri, the national maritime ecosystem, and the country as a whole, with a positive impact on a global scale.
Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri, said: "With Fincantieri Ingenium, we strengthen our leadership position in technological innovation applied to shipbuilding and the naval engineering industry. This joint venture represents a strategic step forward in accelerating the digitalization of the sector, leveraging artificial intelligence and the most advanced technologies. Thanks to the synergy with Accenture, we will develop cutting-edge solutions that will make our ships and infrastructures increasingly connected, efficient and sustainable, consolidating Fincantieri's role as a global leader in the sector."
Teodoro Lio, MU Lead for ICEG and CEO of Accenture Italy, commented: “We are excited about this joint venture with Fincantieri, which marks a significant step forward in maritime innovation and is a tangible example of collaboration between two organizations committed to transforming the market and creating new value. With Fincantieri Ingenium, we are combining our respective strengths to shape new operating models that will transform maritime operations through innovative technologies.”
The project is subject to customary conditions precedents related to regulatory compliance .
About Fincantieri
Fincantieri is one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups, the only one active in all high-tech marine industry sectors. It is leader in the construction and transformation of cruise, naval and oil & gas and wind offshore vessels, as well as in the production of systems and component equipment, after-sales services and marine interiors solutions. Thanks to the expertise developed in the management of complex projects, the Group boasts first-class references in infrastructures, and is a reference player in digital technologies and cybersecurity, electronics and advanced systems. With over 230 years of history and more than 7,000 ships built, Fincantieri maintains its know-how, expertise and management centres in Italy, here employing over 11,000 workers and creating around 90,000 jobs, which double worldwide thanks to a production network of 18 shipyards operating worldwide and with over 22,000 employees.
www.fincantieri.com
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent- and innovation-led company with approximately 801,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology and leadership in cloud, data and AI with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. Our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Song, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients reinvent and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at accenture.com
Fincantieri, a global leader in complex shipbuilding, and Accenture, one of the world’s leading professional services companies, have signed an agreement to establish Fincantieri Ingenium, a new joint venture.
