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La Quinta - Rookie Alex Prugh, who is playing in just his third Tour event, fired a seven-under 65 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the rain-hit Bob Hope Classic.
Prugh moved to a 21-under 195 total for a slim lead in the five-million dollar event over fellow Americans Bubba Watson - who shot 68 on Saturday - and Martin Flores - who carded a 65.
Prugh is in his first season on the USPGA Tour after finishing 16th on the Nationwide Tour money list last year. His Nationwide season included a win in New Zealand where he shot a closing-round 64.
"I was almost bored with myself a little bit," Prugh said. "It's not a bad thing. I was hitting the driver very well, and I kept on hitting fairway after fairway. ... Boring rounds are actually fine with me."
The five-round event has been hampered by rain all week as storms washed out play on Thursday.
The start of the second round on Friday was also delayed so golfers went out in twosomes off split tees on all four courses that are being used this week.
Conditions were much better Saturday as the players teed off under sunshine but organizers are still looking at a Monday finish to the Tour's only 90-hole championship.
Prugh, who became the first rookie since Aussie John Senden in 2002 to lead a round at the Bob Hope, said the pro-am format is a benefit because his amateur playing partners keep him loose.
"I'm just trying to entertain my amateur partners as well as I can, and hopefully they get their money's worth when they're out here," Prugh said.
The outcome is still very much in the air with seven players within five shots of the 54-hole leader, including second-round leader Watson and rookie Flores.
Watson, the crowd-pleasing long-hitter who had held the overnight lead after playing the two toughest layouts in the first two rounds, couldn't build on that momentum.
After a slow start he nabbed four birdies on his back nine to stay in contention, but he had been hoping for more.
"I just played bad," Watson said. "The 68 was getting a lot out of my round today, so I'm not mad at a 68. It's just I wanted to play better. My caddie kept yelling at me, trying to get me to pay attention and stay focused. I just hung in there."
Joe Ogilvie (68) was four shots back of Prugh while South Africa's Tim Clark (67), Chad Collins (69) and Bill Haas (66) comprise a group of three on 200.
Prugh moved ahead of Watson and Flores with a birdie on the 17th hole. He then parred the 18th.
