Rahm leads in California as Woods improves

Rahm finished third at last week's Phoenix Open

Jon Rahm moved closer to regaining his place as world number one as a third-round 65 gave him the lead at the Genesis Invitational in California.

A win would take him above American Scottie Scheffler, who is 10 shots adrift, at the top of the rankings.

Former world number one Tiger Woods almost posted an albatross in his four-under 67, his best round of the week.

His second shot from 190 yards at the par-five first hole finished three feet from the hole to set up a comfortable eagle.

American Woods, a 15-time major winner who carded a second-round 74 on Saturday, climbed to three under par - 12 shots off Rahm - in his first tournament of the season.

"Hopefully on Sunday I can go out and play a good one," he said. "Post this event, we'll go ahead and reassess everything, see where we are and see how I recover from a full tournament."

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Rahm, who has won two tournaments and finished in the top 10 five times this season, described his 65 as a "heck of a round of golf".

"I'm really proud of today," he said.

Rahm's nearest challenger is Max Homa, the halfway leader who shot two late bogeys in a round of 69, while fellow American Keith Mitchell is a shot further back following a 69.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy could manage only a 73 as he slipped to four under.

Scheffler, who won the Phoenix Open last week to knock McIlroy off the top of the rankings, is five under after carding a 70.

Rahm last held top spot in March 2022.

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