Golf:Keegan Bradley has snatched a share of Phil Mickelson's lead of the Northern Trust Open, setting up an enthralling final day in California.
The 25-year-old fired a five-under 66 to hit the front, with Mickelson carding a second successive one-under, with the pair tied on seven under.
Mickelson, chasing back-to-back titles after winning at Pebble Beach last weekend, started the week with a score identical to Bradley's, but has hit the buffers since and failed to build a commanding lead.
He is only one shot ahead of the chasing pack too, with three players all on six under in the shape of Pat Perez, Jonathan Byrd and Bryce Molder - another to shoot a 66.
Aaron Baddeley, Dustin Johnson and Bill Haas all sit two shots off the pace, while a steady even round from England's Justin Rose means he is five away from the top on two under.
World number one Luke Donald is seemingly out of contention, though, sitting even par after going round in 71.
Having landed three birdies on the last three holes, Australian Baddeley boosted his title hopes and knows what he has to do over the final 18 holes.
"It's always a great way to finish," he told www.pgatour.com. "I hit a great putt on 16, then hit great shots all coming home there. I'll take that tomorrow and try and get another one. I had to shoot four, five, six under today to give myself a realistic chance. So it was pleasing, pleasing just the way I played really nicely all day.
"Especially finishing off like I did was good."
The day belonged to USPGA champion Bradley, though, who secured his share of the lead with a beautiful eight-foot birdie on the 16th hole and a pitch to tap in on the next, before parring the last.
"That's kind of why I was excited to make that putt on the last hole. I figured that might be to get in the final group with Phil," he said.
Collated third round scores & totals in the USPGA Tour Northern Trust Open Riviera CC, Pacific Palisades, California, United States of America (USA unless stated, Irish in bold, par 71):
206Phil Mickelson 66 70 70, Keegan Bradley 71 69 66
207Bryce Molder 74 67 66, Pat Perez 72 65 70, Jonathan Byrd 68 70 69
208Dustin Johnson 71 70 67, Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 73 69 66, Bill Haas 72 68 68
209Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 73 65 71, Ryan Moore 72 69 68
210J.B. Holmes 67 73 70, Marc Leishman (Aus) 70 69 71, Jimmy Walker 72 66 72, Bo Van Pelt 74 68 68
211Zach Johnson 71 69 71, Justin Rose (Eng) 70 70 71, Jim Furyk 72 70 69, Bubba Watson 70 69 72, J.J Killeen 71 69 71
212Nick Watney 73 70 69, Spencer Levin 73 66 73, Hunter Mahan 67 75 70, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 73 67 72, Kyle Stanley 74 68 70, Johnson Wagner 73 71 68
213Brendon De Jonge 73 69 71, Jason Kokrak 76 67 70, Adam Scott (Aus) 73 71 69, Ryan Palmer 76 69 68, Matt Kuchar 69 69 75, Kevin Chappell 73 67 73, Luke Donald (Eng) 70 72 71, Brandt Snedeker 75 70 68, Briny Baird 71 70 72, Y.E. Yang (Kor) 72 72 69, Tommy Gainey 70 73 70, Cameron Tringale 70 74 69
214Erik Compton 73 72 69, Bobby Gates 73 72 69, Joe Ogilvie 71 71 72, Stewart Cink 69 71 74, Graham Delaet (Can) 73 68 73, Charlie Wi (Kor) 75 69 70, Kevin Stadler 71 71 72, Ernie Els (Rsa) 73 68 73, K J Choi (Kor) 69 71 74, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 68 70 76, Rickie Fowler 75 69 70
215Bud Cauley 74 70 71, Michael Thompson 72 72 71, Vijay Singh (Fij) 74 70 71, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 72 72 71, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 69 76 70, John Senden (Aus) 73 70 72, Kevin Streelman 74 70 71
216George McNeill 76 67 73, Sung-hoon Kang (Kor) 72 71 73, Jeff Overton 73 72 71, Vaughn Taylor 72 71 73, Cameron Beckman 70 75 71
217Brendan Steele 69 74 74, Jason Dufner 72 72 73, Billy Mayfair 72 73 72, David Hearn (Can) 70 73 74, John Mallinger 71 71 75
218Gary Woodland 73 71 74, Pádraig Harrington (Irl) 74 70 74
219Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn) 73 70 76, Ricky Barnes 71 71 77, Bill Lunde 73 72 74, Ken Duke 69 72 78, Harrison Frazar 71 74 74, Jason Day (Aus) 73 71 75
220Matt Bettencourt 73 70 77, Troy Matteson 68 75 77
223Kevin Na 74 71 78
