Feb 9, 2013 4 min read

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Brandt Snedeker had his ninth straight round in the 60s on Saturday. One more like that and he might really have reason to celebrate.

Snedeker ran off four straight birdies along the prettiest part of Pebble Beach for a 4-under 68, giving him a share of the lead with 31-year-old rookie James Hahn going into the final round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

A runner-up in consecutive weeks to Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, this time the spotlight belongs to Snedeker.

“You never know what tomorrow holds, but I feel like I’m in great position, and I’m going to be surely more prepared, no matter who is around me in the last group,” Snedeker said. “I’m probably going to have the most experience of anybody in those last couple groups of winning a golf tournament.”

Hahn had a 66 at Spyglass Hill, making birdie on the last three holes to join Snedeker at 12-under 202. Chris Kirk birdied his last hole at Monterey Peninsula for a 64 and was one shot behind the leaders.

For all the celebrity antics that are part of the Saturday show at Pebble Beach, the video most likely to go viral belonged to Mickelson. The defending champion took a spill on the rocks below the 18th fairway. Mickelson was looking to see if his tee shot could be found – and played – when his right foot gave way and he landed hard on his back side, bracing the fall with his hands.

“I got lucky,” Mickelson said. “I didn’t get hurt.”

Not physically, anyway. Mickelson hit his next shot into the Pacific Ocean and had to scramble for a triple bogey, leaving him 11 shots behind and ending his hopes of a record-tying fifth win at Pebble Beach.

Snedeker hasn’t had a better chance to win all year. He was seven shots behind Woods and six shots behind Mickelson going into the final round. Now he is tied with Hahn, who until now was best known for “Gangnam” celebration of his birdie on the 16th hole at the Phoenix Open.

Mediate leads Allianz Championship by 3 shots: Rocco Mediate shot an 11-under 61, setting a course record and building a three-shot lead over Tom Pernice Jr. heading into the final round of the Allianz Championship.

Mediate is trying to become the 16th player to win his first start on the Champions Tour. He won six times on the PGA Tour and is probably best remembered for losing a playoff to Tiger Woods in the 2008 U.S. Open.

Mediate had five consecutive birdies on the front nine, highlighted by a drive to the green at the par-4 seventh hole. He added three more birdies after the turn and closed with a birdie at the 17th and a 10-foot eagle at the 18th.

It was the lowest round of Mediate’s career, one better than his 62 at Colonial in 2001, and it snapped the tournament record of 63 set by Craig Stadler in 2007. Mediate’s total of 128 through two rounds was three better than the 36-hole mark of 131 shared by Tim Simpson and Tommy Armour III.

“It has to be my best round I’ve played in a long time,” Mediate said. “Obviously, it was my lowest. I haven’t made that many putts in a long, long time. Feeling that again was cool. I haven’t felt that in a while.”

Pernice also had a strong day on the Old Course at Broken Sound, posting a 65 after beginning the day in a tie for the lead. He lost ground in his pursuit of his second Champions Tour title, but he said he wasn’t discouraged.

“Rocco shot 61, he should be leading,” said Pernice, who was the last player to win his first start on the Champions Tour in 2009. “It wasn’t that easy out there. I’m happy with where I’m at. I’ve got a chance tomorrow. That’s why we play three days, not two.”

Mediate stayed aggressive after the run of five consecutive birdies, and he said that was the key to his 61. He said he will have to continue that approach in the final round.

“You can’t let down or take it off the pedal out here,” he said. “You have to go crazy from the start to the finish, or you can’t win. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, but I just want to keep putting myself in contention.”