Retief Goosen climbed into contention but Brandt Snedeker remains in contention to go one better than his last two results after his third successive four under par round put him in a share of the lead at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Snedeker has finished runner-up to Tiger Woods in the Farmers Insurance Open and to Phil Mickelson at the Phoenix Open in the last two weeks, but six birdies - with four in a row from the sixth hole - and two bogeys today saw him card a round of 68 at the Pebble Beach course.
The American is now on 12 under overall and is tied for the lead alongside compatriot James Hahn, with just one more round remaining.
Hahn sensationally birdied his last three holes at Spyglass Hill to move level with Snedeker following a marvellous, bogey-free six under par round.
Chris Kirk made four birdies in five holes on the front nine as he recorded a round off 64 at Monterey Peninsula to move one shot behind the two frontrunners, while Patrick Reed is on ten under overall following his three under par round at the same course.
Ted Potter, who was in a tie for the lead overnight, slipped five shots off the pace after a forgettable 73 at Spyglass Hill.
Defending champion Mickelson is all but guaranteed to surrender his crown after a disappointing third-round 73 at Pebble Beach left him on the cut line at one under par.
But the four-time Major winner will be grateful after coming away from a fall unscathed.
The American took a tumble on the rocks beside the Pacific Ocean on the par five 18th after looking for a tee shot, a hole where he recorded a triple bogey.
"I got lucky," Mickelson told the PGA Tour's official website. "I didn't get hurt."
"That triple takes a lot of the wind out because if I could have made a birdie on last hole, be within six, seven shots of the lead, you never know."
South African Goosen shot a three under 67 to move into a share of sixth.
