PACIFIC PALISADES — Through three rounds of the Genesis Invitational, Joaquin Niemann has managed to build a good-sized lead over virtually every player in the field with the exception of rookie Cameron Young.

While Niemann’s round of 3-under 68 on Saturday etched his name into the Genesis record book for the lowest 54-hole total at 19-under 194, Young’s 2-under 69 left him just three shots behind heading into Sunday’s final round. Viktor Hovland, whose 6-under 65 on Saturday was the lowest round of the day, is alone in third at 13 under. Just behind Hovland is Justin Thomas at 12 under and Collin Morikawa at 11 under.

“Anytime you start Sunday three back, whether you’re in tenth or second, you have a chance,” Young said, “Anybody out here can shoot 8 or 9 under and you just never know when it’s going to be you on a Sunday. I’ve only got one guy ahead of me. He’s a great player and I know he’s playing really well, but you just never know what can happen. Tomorrow that three shots can be gone in a hole and three shots can go the other way in a hole, so we’ll just have to see. I’m still right there.”

Had it not been for a costly three-putt double bogey on the par-3, 16th hole, Young would have been even closer. But the former Wake Forest standout said he’s not concerning himself for what could have been but rather he’s focused on what he needs to do to try and win his first PGA Tour event.

“It’s certainly a place that you have to play really well to post a good score,” Young said. “Joaquin, he’s made a bunch of putts and he’s playing awesome golf. But if you’re in the right places and you’re making putts when you have opportunities, you can shoot a lot under. It’s a hard golf course, but if you’re on top of it, you can shoot a low score.”

Hovland opened his third round with back-to-back birdies and finished the front nine by birdieing three of the last four holes, putting him prime position to make a significant move on Niemann with a big back nine. But after making birdies on 10 and 11, Hovland was unable to maintain the momentum, playing the final seven holes at 1 over.

“It’s a little frustrating because I was 7 under through 11 holes and I had hardly gained any momentum,” Hovland said. “I was peeking a little closer, but I was still pretty far behind. If they (Niemann and Young)  keep playing the way they do, there’s not much I can do. I’m trying to make as many birdies as possible, but at the same time if you get a little greedy and short-side yourself, you’re just dead. So, you have to be smart out there. I felt like I did a good job of being aggressive but at the same time not reckless.”

As he attempts to run down both Niemann and Young, Hovland admitted there’s a fine balance between being aggressive and pushing for birdies but not being reckless and forcing shots at pins that are tucked in places that can leave you in poor position if you mishit a shot into Riviera’s firm greens.

“Sometimes you can hit a great shot, land by the pin and you bounce over the green, you’re in a tough spot,” Hovland said. “If you can just hit fairways and greens, you’re never too far away because the greens are pretty small. It’s just kind of hitting good shots and hope for the best. All I can do is just keep playing like I am, and we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”

Niemann, who is attempting to go wire-to-wire for the win, made three straight birdies on the front nine and then opened his back nine with an eagle at the always challenging par-4, 10th hole. At that point he was 21 under par, which is one shot better than 72-hole scoring mark of 20 under set by Lanny Watkins in 1985.

But over the final eight holes for the first time all week Niemann hit a few wayward shots. His tee shot on No. 12, went right into trees and then he hit his next shot into the kikuyu grass filled ravine that guards the green, which ultimately led to his second bogey of the day.

His troubles off the tee continued over the next few holes but Niemann managed to scramble well enough to make pars on holes 13 and 14 before surrendering another shot on 15. He managed to par the remaining holes, giving him his three-shot lead heading into Sunday.

“On 12 I think I had like 200 front and I had a little window there that I had to cut it like 20, 30 yards with a 4-iron,” Niemann said. “Obviously he (his caddie) didn’t like the idea of that, but I felt pretty confident of that shot and I felt that I was able to do it. I hit actually a really good shot, just a little bit lower than I thought and it just didn’t carry that, but it was close to being pretty good.”

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One of the main keys to Niemann’s success so far has been his ability to make putts on Riviera’s Poa Annua greens. Niemann has needed just 75 putts over the first three rounds and he ranks third in the field in strokes gained putting this week.

“I’m making a lot of putts right now. My speed has just been so good this week and that helps a lot with these type of greens that they’re so fast and every putt can run away from the hole pretty quick,” Niemann said. “So, the speed has been good this week. I also feel I’m starting my ball online with the putter. When you have greens this good when you start your line, I think you’ve got a good chance of making putts, so I think that’s been big this week.

Niemann’s only victory on the PGA Tour came in 2020 when he won the Military Tribute at The Greenbrier Tournament. The six-stroke win came at the age of 20 years, 10 months, 8 days in his 44th start. He became the third player born outside the United States to win on the PGA TOUR before turning 21 in the last 95 years, joining Seve Ballesteros and Rory McIlroy.

Last season Niemann finished second times, including at the Rocket Mortgage Classic where he held a share of the lead after 36 and 54 holes but ended up losing a playoff to Cam Davis when he made a bogey on the first playoff hole.

“Rocket Mortgage, I played great golf there,” Niemann said. “I didn’t make any bogeys that week. Yeah, I mean, I think sometimes things go your way, (other times) things don’t go your way. I put myself in big chances to win the tournament and it just didn’t happen. You’ve just got to learn from that and go with a better attitude for the next time that you’re there. I’m having the best time of my life right now. I just try to keep it calm, but I’m enjoying it a lot and I just can’t wait to have a good day tomorrow.”