PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Brandt Snedeker had his ninth straight round in the 60s on Saturday. One more like that and he might really have reason to celebrate.

Snedeker ran off four straight birdies at Pebble Beach for a 4-under 68, giving him a share of the lead with 31-year-old rookie James Hahn going into the final round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

A runner-up in consecutive weeks to Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, Snedeker has the spotlight.

“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,” Snedeker said. “I’m probably going to have the most experience of anybody in those last couple groups of winning a golf tournament.”

Hahn had a 66 at Spyglass Hill, making birdie on the last three holes to join Snedeker at 12-under 202. Chris Kirk birdied his last hole at Monterey Peninsula for a 64 and was one shot behind the leaders.

Mickelson, the defending champion, took a spill on the rocks below the 18th fairway. Mickelson was looking to see whether his tee shot could be found – and played – when his right foot gave way and he landed hard on his back side, bracing the fall with his hands.

“I got lucky,” Mickelson said. “I didn’t get hurt.”

Not physically, anyway. Mickelson hit his next shot into the Pacific Ocean and had to scramble for a triple bogey, leaving him 11 shots behind and ending his hopes of a record-tying fifth win at Pebble Beach.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: In Boca Raton, Fla., Rocco Mediate shot an 11-under 61, setting a course record and building a three-shot lead over Tom Pernice Jr. heading into the final round of the Allianz Championship.

Mediate is trying to become the 16th player to win his first start on the Champions Tour. It was the lowest round of Mediate’s career, one better than his 62 at Colonial in 2001, and it snapped the tournament record of 63 set by Craig Stadler in 2007.

Mediate’s total of 128 through two rounds was three better than the 36-hole mark of 131 shared by Tim Simpson and Tommy Armour III.

EUROPEAN: In Johannesburg, South Africans Richard Sterne and Trevor Fisher Jr. each shot a 4-under 68 to move five shots ahead of the field at the Joburg Open.

Both birdied the final hole for a 19-under total of 196 at the Royal Johannesburg & Kensington GC.

Felipe Aguilar (68), Jaco van Zyl (67) and George Coetzee (70) and two-time tournament winner Charl Schwartzel (68) trail at 14 under.