Joaquin Niemann moved a big step closer to a second PGA Tour title after extending his lead to three shots going into the final round of the Genesis Invitational.
Niemann followed back-to-back 63s with a three-under 68 at Riviera Country Club on Saturday, mixing an eagle with four birdies and three bogeys to move to 19 under for the week.
The Chilean's closest challenge comes from American Cameron Young, who posted a third-round 69, while Viktor Hovland sits six shots off the pace in third ahead of former world No 1 Justin Thomas.
Niemann, whose only PGA Tour win came in 2019, made a two-putt birdie at the par-five first but failed to get up and down from the greenside bunker to save par at the next, only to respond by three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the fifth to reach the turn in 32.
An aggressive tee shot at the driveable 10th hole resulted in a 20-foot eagle from just off the green, with bogeys at the 12th and 15th not enough to prevent him from taking a commanding lead into the final day.
"Yeah, obviously it feels different," Niemann said. "You don't lead tournaments too often out here, there's too many good players, but yeah, I think when it's your week you've got to try to do your best and try to stay there, stay in the present and do your best."
Young, looking for his maiden PGA Tour title, registered four birdies in a third-round 69 but missed a chance to climb closer to the lead when he double-bogeyed the par-three 16th after taking two attempts to get out of a bunker.
Hovland had opened with successive birdies and was seven under after 11 holes after five birdies in a six-hole stretch from the fifth, only to post back-to-back bogeys on his next two holes and eventually slip back to 13 under.
Thomas birdied his final two holes to salvage a one-under 70 and sit in fourth spot, while world No 2 Collin Morikawa is in fifth place and last week's WM Phoenix Open winner Scottie Scheffler is one of four players in a share of sixth.
Defending champion Max Homa, Maverick McNealy and Australia's Marc Leishman complete the quartet on 10 under, while Scotland's Robert MacIntyre carded a second successive 67 to move to tied-12th alongside England's Paul Casey.
Rory McIlroy is on seven under and a share of 18th place after posting six birdies and two bogeys in a four-under 67, with world No 1 in tied-60th following a third-round 70.
Who will win the Genesis Invitational? Watch the final round live on Sunday from 5pm on Sky Sports Golf.