Andrew Landry Leads CareerBuilder Challenge Entering Third Round

LA QUINTA, CA – American Andrew Landry holds a one-shot lead over Spaniard Jon Rahm entering Saturday's third round of the $5.9 million CareerBuilder Challenge.

Jason Kokrak is in third, two shots off the lead, while fellow Americans Zach Johnson, Michael Kim and Martin Piller are tied for fourth, three shots behind.

Landry was among three golfers who entered Friday's round tied for second, one shot behind Rahm, then fired a bogey-free 7-under-par 65 at the Nicklaus Tournament course to go 16-under 128 for the tournament.

The 36-hole lead in Landry's first in his 26 tournaments on the PGA Tour.

Landry birdied the first hole, then had five consecutive pars before birdieing the seventh hole. He had three consecutive birdies on the 11th through 13th holes and back-to-back birdies on the 15th and 16th.

"Got off to a little bit of a slow start," Landry said. "I'm kicking myself in the butt right now for not birdieing those par-5s. But we're in a good spot right now and I played two good rounds of golf, bogey-free both times, and it's just nice to be able to hit a lot of good quality shots and get rewarded when you're making good putts."

The 30-year-old Landry won the right to return to the PGA Tour this season following a one-season absence with a fourth-place finish on the 2017 Web.com Tour priority list. His best finish on the PGA Tour is tying for fourth in The RSM Classic in November.

All but one of the top six golfers will be playing on the more difficult Stadium Course at PGA West Saturday. The exception is Piller, who shot 5-under-par 67 on the course Friday, a round which included seven birdies.

Piller will be playing at La Quinta Country Club Saturday.

"I know it's cliche, but that's a different golf course, so I've got to kind of adjust and make sure I've got the right things going for that golf course," said Piller, who shot an 8-under 64 on the Nicklaus course Thursday. "But different course, so just get my mind right for La Quinta and then hopefully be in really good position going back out here on Sunday."

Rahm followed his career-low 10-under-par 62 at La Quinta Country Club Thursday with a 5-under-par 67 on the Nicklaus course Friday.

Rahm began his round on the 10th hole, birdieing both of his first two holes, bogeying his third, birdieing his fourth, bogeying his fifth and then finishing the course's back nine with three consecutive pars.

Rahm had three consecutive pars to start the front nine, then birdied the fourth, seventh and eighth holes.

"Everything was just a little bit off," said Rahm, the highest- ranked player in the field of 156 at third on the Official World Golf Ranking. "It was just one of those days.

"I actually had a much better start than I ever expected. I was hitting good shots, made a couple of good putts, but then again a couple of those bad swings cost me. But besides that I think the rest of the round reflected what it was. I wasn't hitting perfect shots, it was 20, 30 feet from the pin all the time.

"But then luckily the driver on 6 was the key. I flushed it, hit a great drive. I knew what I was doing wrong and it was followed by four perfect holes where I could have had almost four birdies, but I had two of them, so it was a great finish."

Rahm's 36-hole total of 129 surpassed his previous best in his 36 tournaments on the PGA Tour, a 131 at The National in 2016.

Palm Desert High School senior Charlie Reiter shot a 2-under-par 70 at the Nicklaus course Friday and is among 16 golfers tied for 67th at 6-under 138.

Johnson and Kim were among nine golfers Friday shooting 8-under-par 64s, the day's low score.
The rock band Goo Goo Dolls will perform on the driving range at PGA West following the conclusion of the round.

The field will be reduced to the low 70 plus ties following the conclusion of play Saturday. Sunday's final round will be played on the Stadium Course.

PHOTOS: 1 and 2: High School sensation Charlie Reiter at the tee and on the greens; 3 and 4: The always colorful John Daly; 5 and 6: Kevin Na lines up putt and sinks it; 7 and 8: Zach Johnson and PhilMickelson; 9, 10, 11 and 12: More of Reiter.

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• ALSO SEE: CareerBuilder Challenge 2018: Day 1 Photo Show

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--City News Service/Images via Jim Edwards