Cook leads in La Quinta in search of second Tour title

LOS ANGELES: Austin Cook, chasing a second US PGA Tour title, fired an eight-under par 64 on Saturday to seize a one-stroke lead through 54 holes of the CareerBuilder Challenge in California.

Cook, who captured his first tour title in November at the RSM Classic at Sea Island, Georgia, fired seven birdies and an eagle and rolled in a tough par-saving putt at the 18th at La Quinta Country Club, one of three courses in use over the first three rounds of the tournament. He emerged from the third round on 19-under par 197, one stroke in front of fellow americans Andrew Landry and Martin Piller, who are both seeking a first PGA Tour crown. Overnight leader Landry had two birdies without a bogey in his two-under 70 on the Stadium Course at PGA West, where the final round will also be played on Sunday.

Piller powered up the leaderboard with a five-under 67 at La Quinta, where he teed off on 10 and after making the turn two-under picked up three straight birdies at the fifth, sixth and seventh holes.

Spain´s Jon Rahm, the highest ranked player in the field at number three in the world, held a share of the lead at 19-under after birdies at the 10th and 11th on the Stadium Course.