Joaquin Niemann extended his lead at the Genesis Invitational to three strokes after an eagle on the 10th hole on the third day at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.

The Chilean, who led after both of the first two days, carded a six-under-round of 68 to be 19-under overall, meaning his 194 across 54 holes is a course record. He leads from Cameron Young who is 16-under.

Young's double bogey on the 16th hole opened up a big gap at the top, with Viktor Hovland moving into third with a six-under-65 but he is six shots behind Niemann at 13-under.

Niemann carded four birdies on the front nine, before the highlight of his day with an eagle on the 10th after an aggressive drive.

The eagle took world number 32 Niemann to 21-under before two bogeys in his final seven holes, although Young was unable to make any major inroads.

Norwegian world number four Hovland was the big mover on Saturday, with five birdies on the front nine, although bogeys on the 14th and 15th slowed his charge.

Former PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas is one stroke behind the Norwegian after a one-under-70, while second-ranked Collin Morikawa is a further shot back after his three-under-68 took him to 11-under overall.

Last week's Arizona Open winner Scottie Scheffler also managed a six-under-round to be tied on 10-under alongside Maverick McNealy, Marc Leishman and Max Homa.

Rory McIlroy carded a four-under-67 to be seven-under and tied in a large group that includes three-time major champion Jordan Spieth who struggled with a two-over-73 with three bogeys and one birdie for the day.

Joaquin Niemann followed up his opening 63 at the Genesis Invitational with another one on Friday to lead on 16 under par, though his previous three-shot advantage was cut by one after a 62 from Cameron Young.

Niemann, who hit nine birdies on Thursday, managed seven in his second round as well as an eagle at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.

However, Young, who had been tied for second with three other Americans, hit nine birdies without dropping a single shot in his round and now sits two shots behind Niemann on 14 under.

Justin Thomas ended the day in third place on 11 under after a round of 64, while Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott are two shots further back in a tie for fourth.

Collin Morikawa is in sixth place on eight under after his second 67 in a row, and one of the biggest climbers of the day, Norway's Viktor Hovland, sits tied for seventh with Russell Knox and Cameron Smith on seven under after his 64 saw him rise 54 places up the leaderboard.

Rory McIlroy is on three under and tied for 31st with a number of other competitors, including Paul Casey, Xander Schauffele and Sergio Garcia, while world number one Jon Rahm only just made the cut after carding a 73 that leaves him on even par.

Meanwhile, American trio Dustin Johnson (two over), Brooks Koepka (three over) and Patrick Reed (six over) all missed the cut.

Pat Perez insisted Phil Mickelson "doesn't speak for me" after the latter's inflammatory comments over a possible Saudi Arabia-backed Super Golf League.

A number of high-profile players are said to have been targeted by organisers of the lucrative Saudi-backed breakaway, including Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau.

But the most prominent names to have discussed the league publicly – including Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa – have instead pledged their allegiance to the PGA Tour.

In a remarkable interview with the Fire Pit Collective's Alan Shipnuck, who is releasing a biography on Mickelson in May, the six-time major champion claimed that he and several other golfers paid their lawyers to construct the proposed breakaway competition's operating agreement.

This, as Mickelson put it, would be to "reshape how the PGA Tour operates", even though he stated Saudi Arabia has "a horrible record on human rights" and are "scary m*****f****** to get involved with".

"Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates," Mickelson explained.

"As nice a guy as [tour commissioner Jay] Monahan comes across as, unless you have leverage, he won't do what's right. And the Saudi money has finally given us that leverage.

"I'm not sure I even want [Super Golf League] to succeed, but just the idea of it is allowing us to get things done with the [PGA] Tour."

Justin Thomas, after his opening round at the Genesis Invitational, branded Mickelson's comments as "egotistical".

Speaking after going round in 70 on day one at the same event, Perez also hit out at the former world number two.

"He's made $800million on the Tour, I don't know what could be so bad about the Tour," Perez said.

"He doesn't speak for me. He's had an amazing career. He obviously thinks there's something else on the other side for him going down the line. If he gets it, great.

"I don't know what Phil's doing. I know Phil's got a lot of stress in life right now, and I don't know what he's doing."

Mickelson also claimed that "if the tour doesn't do the right thing, there is a high likelihood it's going to happen", and that around 20 players had signed up to the proposal.

Joaquin Niemann started strongest at the Genesis Invitational with an opening round of 63 on Thursday.

A round of nine birdies gave the Chilean a three-shot lead at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.

Niemann is the ninth player to open with a 63 on the course. Four of the previous eight players went on to win.

Four Americans ended the first day in a tie for second, including Jordan Spieth, while 2021 Open champion Collin Morikawa is a stroke further back.

World number one Jon Rahm, Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele all carded 69 for their opening rounds, as did Rory McIlroy, who dropped shots on the eighth and 13th holes.

Dustin Johnson finished with a two-over-par 73, while Patrick Reed endured a disappointing first day, a double bogey on the 13th resulting in a six-over-par finish.

"Sometimes I think about a score," Niemann said. "Today I was hitting it so good, I had fun just getting into the shot. I didn't really think of the score.

"But then on 18 I was thinking about [it]. I wanted to make birdie so bad. I wanted to make one more.

"You always work to have these kind of days. You always know that you're never going to have these days four days in a row. It's a good way to start.

"I know it's going to be different days during the week, so I've got to be ready for everything and have the best attitude for it."

Rory McIlroy believes the identity of those rejecting the Super Golf League "has to tell you something", as both he and Jon Rahm remain committed to the PGA Tour.

A number of high-profile players are said to have been targeted by organisers of the lucrative Saudi-backed breakaway, including Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson.

But the most prominent names to have discussed the league publicly – including McIlroy, Rahm and Collin Morikawa – have instead pledged their allegiance to the PGA Tour.

McIlroy referred to the rival series as the "not-so-Super League" on Wednesday, declaring himself "so sick" of the subject.

He added: "You look at the people who have already said no. You've got the top players in the world who are saying no, so that has to tell you something."

World number one Rahm also appears fed up with fielding questions on the Super Golf League but clarified his stance – speaking, like McIlroy, ahead of the Genesis Invitational.

"This is my official one and only time I'll talk about this, where I am officially declaring my fealty to the PGA Tour," Rahm said.

"I'm a PAC [Player Advisory Council] member, and I have a lot of belief in [PGA Tour commissioner] Jay Monahan and the product that they're going to give us in the future.

"There has been a lot of talk and speculation about the Saudi league. It's just not something I believe is the best for me and my future in golf, and I think the best legacy I can accomplish will be with the PGA Tour."

Tiger Woods is growing frustrated that he still does not know when he will be able to competitively play golf again following his car crash.

The 15-time major champion was involved in a single-car accident a year ago that left him with open fractures to the tibia and fibula in his right leg.

Woods has not played competitively since and warned in December his return was a "long way off".

But the American superstar seemingly would have hoped to be able to provide a further update by now, as he revealed his irritation when speaking at the Genesis Invitational on Wednesday.

"I wish I could tell you when I'm playing again," he said. "I want to know, but I don't."

Woods revealed he still has difficulty walking, although he is "getting better" – just not as quickly as he would like.

"My golf activity has been very limited," he said. "I can chip and putt really well and hit short irons very well, but I haven't done any long stuff seriously.

"I'm still working. I'm still working on the walking part. My foot was a little messed up there about a year ago, so the walking part is something that I'm still working on, working on strength and development in that.

"It takes time. What's frustrating is it's not at my timetable. I want to be at a certain place, but I'm not. I've just got to continue working.

"I'm getting better, yes. But as I said, not at the speed and rate that I would like.

"You add in the age factor, too. You just don't quite heal as fast, which is frustrating."

Jon Rahm has won the Seve Ballesteros award for the second time in three years after being voted player of the year by his fellow DP World Tour members.

Rahm won the U.S. Open by one shot at Torrey Pines in June, his first major victory, and also finished in the top 10 in the other three majors in 2021.

He tied for fifth at The Masters and eighth at the US PGA Championship, before finishing level with Louis Oosthuizen in third at The Open at Royal St George's in July.

The world number one also top scored for the defeated European team at the Ryder Cup, winning 3.5 points in his five matches including remaining undefeated alongside fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia despite the United States winning 19.5-9.5 at Whistling Straits in September.

Rahm was pleased to win the award for a second time, especially given its famous title.

"Winning anything with Seve's name on it is a huge honour for me, as is the fact that this is voted for by the players of the DP World Tour," the 27-year-old Spaniard told the DP World Tour's website.

"It is very unique to be recognised by your peers like this. It is a true honour to be able to win this award for a second time and hopefully I can continue to make the DP World Tour proud."

DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley added: "In the first year of this being the Tour's combined Player of the Year award named in honour of one Spanish great, it is fitting the winner is another incredible Spaniard who is creating his own remarkable legacy on the global stage.

"Jon's form throughout 2021 was simply outstanding and his victory at the U.S. Open, in front of his family, was undoubtedly a highlight that will live long in the memory.

"That cemented his place among the pantheon of Europe's all-time leading players and his contribution in the colours of Europe at the Ryder Cup also demonstrated what an extraordinary competitor he is."

Collin Morikawa has rejected the advances of the Saudi-backed Super Golf League to remain on the PGA Tour.

A number of high-profile players are said to have been targeted by organisers of the lucrative new league, including Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson.

Speaking on Tuesday, two-time major champion Morikawa revealed he was among those who had received interest.

But in a major boost to the PGA Tour, the 25-year-old will not switch circuits – and he hinted other leading stars are making the same decision.

"I'm all for the PGA Tour," Morikawa said ahead of the Genesis Invitational.

"I've been a pro for two and a half years. My entire life I've thought about the PGA Tour. I've thought about playing against Tiger [Woods], beating his records, whatever, something that might not even be breakable.

"But I've never had another thought of what's out there, right? I've never thought about anything else, it's always been the PGA Tour."

He added: "Right now, you look at the best players that I see and they're all sticking with the PGA Tour, and that's where I kind of stay and that's where I belong. I'm very happy to be here."

Former US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau has dismissed reports linking him with the start-up Saudi Golf League as "inaccurate" after withdrawing from this week's Genesis Invitational.

World number 12 DeChambeau, who won the US Open in 2020, pulled out of the Genesis Invitational due to hip and hand injuries.

The withdrawal comes following a report earlier this month that the 28-year-old American had been offered $135 million to join the Saudi-backed startup league, which would render him unavailable for the PGA Tour.

"I am very disappointed to miss the (Genesis Invitational) this week at one of my favorite golf courses on tour," DeChambeau wrote on Twitter on Monday.

"I am currently in the process of rehabbing a hip and hand injury, which I am making positive progress on day by day.

"There are many false reports going around by the media that are completely inaccurate. Any news regarding my health or playing schedule will come directly from me and my team only.

"This is just another inaccurate report. I look forward to getting healthy and seeing everyone soon!"

DeChambeau had recently stated he agreed with Charley Hoffman's social media post calling for changes on the PGA Tour after he was penalised one stroke when his ball rolled into the water while taking a penalty drop.

Hoffman wrote: "You wonder why guys are wanting to jump ship and go play on another tour", further fuelling the DeChambeau speculation.

Scottie Scheffler edged Patrick Cantlay in a three-hole playoff to clinch the Phoenix Open title marking a dramatic turnaround after narrowly avoiding the cut on Friday.

World number 15 Scheffler and reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year Cantlay faced off after both finished 16-under-par following final day rounds of four-under-67.

Scheffler, who avoided the cut by one stroke, claimed the title with a birdie on the third hole of the playoff as Cantlay could only make par.

The 25-year-old American, who resides in Dallas, landed his second shot from the bunker on the green, before sinking a 26-yard putt for the decisive birdie, with Cantlay unable to match that.

The victory marks 2021 US Ryder Cup team member Scheffler's first PGA Tour title, having finished in the top 10 of three majors last year.

Scheffler had birdies on the 15th and the 17th holes to force his way into a playoff, although he almost won it outright on the 18th but missed a birdie putt from five feet.

Overnight leader Sahith Theegala found the water off the tee on the penultimate hole leading to a bogey that saw him slip from the lead.

Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka stormed into contention late, with three birdies and a bogey on his final four holes but fell short of the playoff.

Koepka and Theegala finished tied for third with Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Xander Schauffele at 15 under.

Scheffler had surged up the leaderboard on the third day with a nine-under-62 and backed that up with another strong round on Sunday.

Ryan Fox recovered from a shaky start to the final round to seal a wire-to-wire victory at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic.

The 35-year-old led by six shots heading into Sunday's action at Al Hamra Golf Club but saw that cut to just two at one point.

However, Fox managed to hold his nerve and carded a final-round three-under-par 69 for 22-under overall, enough to finish five shots ahead of Ross Fisher in second.

The victory is Fox's second on the European Tour, and his first in a 72-hole format, having previously triumphed in a Super 6 tournament in Perth three years ago.

Ranked 211th in the world, the New Zealander led the way from start to finish and was glad to have avoided what at one point looked like being a remarkable collapse.

"Relief is the main emotion," Fox said. "It was a bit of a struggle today. Sleeping on a six shot lead, I did not sleep well last night. 

"A couple of guys came at me early and I had that nervous feeling inside my stomach all day, but I'm happy with how I played. I hit some great shots coming down the stretch."

Fox parred the first three holes but somehow missed from just two feet to bogey the par-three fourth – a first indication that nerves were perhaps beginning to creep in.

He responded with a birdie only for another bogey to follow at the sixth, allowing Justin Harding, Robert MacIntyre and Pablo Larrazabal to close the gap significantly.

Larrazabal was within two shots when rolling in a 25-foot putt at the 11th, though Fox soon got his act together and ended strongly with three birdies on the back nine.

"I just kept plugging away and there were a few big momentum putts on the back nine," Fox said. 

"There was one on the 10th for par and then that birdie putt on 12 which kind of kicked-started everything. 

"I got away with the tee shot there, but thankfully the hole got in the way with my putt. It looked good all the way and it just gave me that bit more of a buffer."

Larrazabal fell away to finish on 69 for the day, seeing the Spaniard end in a tie for third with Zander Lombard, with Fisher in second after birdying four of his first eight holes.

Sam Ryder admitted he is still coming down off the adrenaline after his exhilarating hole in one on the 16th hole at the Phoenix Open on Saturday.

Ryder, who had endured a difficult round which included four bogeys and a double bogey, landed the ace, ushering in wild scenes of celebration from the packed onlooking crowd.

Play had to be halted for 15 minutes as debris was cleared off the course after the crowd splashed drinks and threw beer cans in the air in a raucous celebration of a rare feat.

The 32-year-old American became the first player to hit a hole in one on the 16th at Scottsdale since Francesco Molinari in 2015. Ryder is also the 10th player to achieve the feat.

“Still kind of coming down off the adrenaline,” Ryder told reporters, “But, yeah, it was pretty crazy.

"It's got to be number one. Nothing compares to that... it was a blur. I can't describe it."

Ryder hit a 124-yard tee shot which spun left and into the cup for the ace, re-living it afterwards.

"[Chris Kirk] hit a really good shot in the middle of the green, so I kind of got a little bit of feel off of what it was playing," Ryder explained. "It was just one of those things I was talking to my caddie, and it just ended up being a perfect 54 degree wedge.

"The club - everything always plays a little shorter in there, adrenaline or whatever it is, it's just, it always plays shorter. I just told him, 'it's just got to be that, doesn't it?' And he's like, 'that's all I ever thought'.

"We just talked through it a little bit and I was looking just out to the right and wanted to come down around his ball and maybe it was an accidental one-yard pull or something. It didn't look like it was moving too fast on the camera when I saw it, but in the air it just looked perfect."

Despite the hole in one, Ryder is eight strokes off the pace, sitting at six-under-overall ahead of the final day on Sunday.

Sahith Theegala recovered from a tricky start on Friday to maintain a breakout run at the Phoenix Open, where he now leads by two after two rounds.

Theegala, playing on a sponsor's exemption, had taken a one-shot lead into the day's play – albeit only after a suspension on Thursday due to bad light.

Starting with a par putt at the 17th on seven under, Theegala missed the hole and then bogeyed the 18th, too, falling back to five under.

But the 24-year-old, who turned professional in 2020 but is still living with his parents, got back in the groove in round two.

Three consecutive birdies and a fourth at the par-four fifth put Theegala in a great position, turning in 32 after a bogey at the eighth.

It only got better from there with a bogey-free back nine that featured four birdies, including at each of the last two holes – ending his Friday in far more convincing fashion than he had started it.

Theegala's only top-10 finish on the PGA Tour to date was a tie for eighth at the Sanderson Farms Championship in October, but he heads into the weekend at Scottsdale leading a star-studded field.

"I haven't had time to let it set in," he said after signing for a seven-under 64 to move to 12 under.

"Hopefully I don't think too much about it, because obviously what I've been doing has been working the first couple days.

"I'm just thankful that I'm here and trying to make the most of the opportunity – no expectations at all, honestly."

Having already threatened to crumble once, the pressure is only set to ramp up from here. Theegala's closest challengers are Brooks Koepka (66) and Xander Schauffele (65) at 10 under. Patrick Cantlay (66) is a shot further back.

"I'm ready to embrace whatever is ahead of me this weekend," Theegala added.

Brooks Koepka made a strong start to the Phoenix Open as he heads into day two in a tie for third at five under par, with the four-time major winner looking to put an "embarrassing" fall from grace behind him.

Koepka has not won a tournament since succeeding in Phoenix a little under a year ago – while he impressed at the PGA Championship in May, finishing joint-second, Koepka is not happy with how the past 12 months or so have gone.

He teed off in Arizona ranked 20th in the world, something of a far cry from spending 47 weeks at number one across 2018 and 2019 – three of his four major wins came in those years.

Koepka, rarely one to mince his words, feels ashamed of his slide, even if he puts it partly down to injury.

"That's embarrassing to be 20th, I feel like," he said after his first round on Thursday.

"A lot of it has to do with injury, man. I've been hurt, on the sidelines. Not playing, playing through injury, you can't compete with guys out here.

"It's nice to be somewhat healthy and get out here, and I mean, I'm not too worried about it [the ranking], it will bounce back up."

Indeed, there was nothing embarrassing about his performance at TPC Scottsdale on day one, his six birdies – offset by a single bogey – putting him right near the top of the leaderboard.

Nevertheless, he still has a plenty of work to do.

Lee Kyoung-hoon is one shot better off thanks to a glorious showing after the turn, playing the front nine five under par after starting on the ninth hole.

But leading the way is a surprise contender: 24-year-old Sahith Theegala, who is competing as a sponsor's exemption.

Theegala has a one-shot lead over Lee, though he had to finish his round while putting on his 17th hole of the day as play was suspended due to bad light.

Additionally, his next shot when he resumes in the morning will be a 16-foot putt for par, so his lead may not last for long.

A host of familiar names are not too far behind those leading the way, with Xander Schauffele, Louis Oosthuizen, Patrick Cantlay, Jon Rahm and Bubba Watson among a large group on four under.

Jordan Spieth is three shots further back.