AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Hahn & Sneds Tied at the Top

James Hahn & Brandt Snedeker / How / Getty Images

James Hahn and Brandt Snedeker are tied at the top of the leaderboard at -12 under par after the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Brandt had a third round of -4 under par on the Pebble Beach course, while James fired in a round of -6 under par at Spyglass Hill.

Brandt Snedeker, the hottest player in golf on the US PGA TOUR this year without a win to show for it, put matters into his own hands Saturday by running off four straight birdies along the prettiest part of Pebble Beach for a -4 under par 68. After last weeks comment about being beaten by Hall of Famers, first Tiger Woods, and last week it was Phil Mickelson. Brandt will be surprised to find his closest opponent this time around is a rookie.

At this stage in this tournament Brandt is the player with the most experience, and feels confident that this week the trophy will be his;

” 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. I’m probably going to have the most experience of anybody in those last couple groups of winning a golf tournament. You want to win any time you have a chance because you don’t know how many times you’re going to get that in a year. I’ve had a couple of chances the last couple of weeks, haven’t been the best chances. And this week, I have a great chance going into tomorrow, and you need to capitalize on those chances.”

Rookie James Kahn is just happy to be where he is at the moment, looking at a two-year TOUR exemption and a trip to the Masters;

“I’m not even in next week’s tournament, so to me, a top-10 finish would be great. So if you want to compare the Northern Trust Open to Augusta, we can. I would love to play another week out on tour, but just to learn from Brandt Snedeker, he’s one of the hottest golfers on the planet right now. I feel like I’m playing well just because I feel comfortable, you know, comfortable and having fun, that’s when I’m playing my best golf. I feel like my attitude on the golf course is better than it has been in recent years, and not getting so frustrated out there, just kind of enjoying the moment. I keep saying that, but it’s a blast to be inside the ropes and a member of the PGA Tour.”

Chris Kirk is in third place, one shot behind the leaders at -11 under par, following his third round of  -6 under par, 64 at the Monterey Peninsular par 70 course. Defending Champion Phil Mickelson is out of the running, after his ball took a dip into the Pacific Ocean, costing him a triple bogey 11. Phil also had the ignominy of slipping down a slope while trying to retrieve another errant shot, he landed on his rear end. Phil said of his fall;

” I got lucky, I didn’t get hurt.”

AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Brandt Snedeker and Ted Potter Jnr tied at the top.

Brandt Snedeker / Gross / Getty Images.

Brandt Snedeker and Ted Potter Jnr are tied at the top of the leaderboard at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Both players are at -8 under par for the tournament. Brandt shot a -4 under par 68 at Spyglass Hill, while Ted Potter Jnr had a -3 under par at the Monterey Peninsula Country Club course.

Brandt  has played so well this year that he is leading the FedEx Cup standings without having won, Brandt said of his situation;

” Keep running into guys who are or who are going to be in the Hall of Fame. That’s how you win out here, you keep putting yourself in position, and the more times you do, the more success you’re going to have. I’m doing a better job this week of making my way around the golf courses and not putting myself in bad spots and getting out of tough situations very quickly.”

Ted seems to think it is all about the bounce of the ball, sometimes good, sometimes bad;

“It’s just a funny game like that, some weeks you play really well and you get the right kicks and everything goes well. And then there are weeks you can still hit the ball well and get the bad kicks.”

Hunter Mahan, the first round leader lost a stroke on the spongy greens, he went to knock in a short bogey putt on the par-3 seventh hole when the ball moved on him.

“It just rolled over in like a heel print or something, I didn’t feel like I moved it. I didn’t feel like I had anything much to do with it moving. It’s just a rub of the green, so had to go back and take a penalty. That was frustrating, because I was hitting it so good.”

Phil Mickelson didn’t feel out of contention although he was back tied for 39th place, he is six shots behind, the same as last year when he went on to win;

“I love Pebble Beach. I’ve played well there and I’m only one good round away. If I can shoot something in the mid-60s, I’ll be right there for Sunday’s round, which is what I care about.”

Defending Champion Bill Murray back at Pebble Pro-Am, with D.A. Points

Bill Murray will defend his title at Pebble Beach Pro-Am accompanied by Darren Andrew Points,  but whether he’s getting crowds to waive at a blimp flying overhead, spinning with old ladies in fairway bunkers or wearing funny hats, Bill Murray will be the heart of this event. He has been competing here since 1992 however, this year’s tournament is going to be a little different for the 61-year-old Murray because, for the first time, he’s the defending champion.

KOHJIRO KINNO / S

Lat year Bill and Darren  won the pro-am portion of this event by two shots over Steve Bowditch and Marc Miller. Of this years event he  said;

“Everyone asks me what it’s like to be the champion. It’s not hello, how are you, are you having fun, how are the kids. It’s like, are you going to defend the championship. It’s like, a thousand times, people saying, are you going to perform in bed tonight. Are you going to step up and be a real man. Whatever it is, it’s kind of like it’s an implied failure of some kind.”

Bill,  who famously played greenskeeper Carl Spackler in “Caddyshack” does have an edge over his celebrity rivals, his local-like knowledge of Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill, and plenty of practice, saying;

“I’ve probably played these courses more than any others in the last 20 years.”

He is a serious, but humorous participant;

“Our goal is to have the most fun and win.”