LA QUINTA, Calif. Lee Hodges and Paul Barjon took advantage of a after tee time Saturday to miss the worst Of a windy day and share the American Express third-round lead.

“It was tough early and he died a bit on our Back Nine,” Hodges said. “It was from time to time, but it was a good wind. The single holes played a little easier, but the hard holes were hard. So you just have to make a few Pars and then get to those Downwind holes.”

Playing together in the final group off the 10th Tee on PGA West Stadium Course, the PGA Tour Rookies and close friends each birdied the par-5 fifth, par-4 seventh and par-5 eighth and closed with a Par.

“We’re just best friends and we’re having a great time out there,” Hodges said. “We keep it really light and it’s easy to compete if your friends are playing well.”

Hodges, a 26-year-old former Alabama golfer, shot an 8-under 64. Barjon, the 29-year-old Frenchman who played with Texas Christian, had a 65.

“We feed off each other, so it was fun,” Barjon said.

Hodges opened Thursday with a 62 at La Quinta Country Club for a share in the first round with defending FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay, then shot a 72 Friday during the Jack Nicklaus PGA West tournament.

Hodges and Barjon, who both made their 14th PGA Tour starts, were at 18-under 198.

Adam Svensson (68) of Surrey, British Columbia, and Roger Sloan (71) of Merritt, British Columbia, were the top Canadians at 12 under. Both have won two of their last four holes – the 15th and 17th.

Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., had two bogeys on the back nine for a 72, while Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., climbed 37 points with a 68. both have been tied at 8-under 208. Abbotsfords Nick Taylor (71) was at 7 under.

Taylor Pendrith (67) of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Corey Conners (72) of Listowel, ont., failed to advance into the final round.

Tom Hoge was back after a 68 at La Quinta and played in the second group of the first shot in the strongest wind of the day.

“In general, I would say it’s better to be here,” Hoge said of the tree-lined Quinta. “It’s a little more protected from the trees and a little shorter golf course, so you can play a little more careful of the shot, put the ball in play and keep going from there.”

Hoge opened with his lone bogey of the week. He was hiding from a Greenside Bunker on the par-4 fourth for the first of three straight birdies, added a birdie on the Par-5 11th and parred the last seven.

Seamus Power, also at La Quinta, was 16 under after a 66. The Irishman played a five-hole trail on the front nine at 6 under, capping the run with an eagle on the Par-5 sixth.

“It’s been an interesting ride,” said Power, who won his first title at the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky last year. “It was a lot of fun up front. It was one of those rounds where I did for an hour and a half everything I watched.”

Hudson Swafford, the Champion, was at 15 under with Harry Higgs and Lanto Griffin.

Swafford birdied four of his last five holes on the Stadium Course, the venue for the final Round.

“I was really patient,” Swafford said. “I made a lot of efforts, even if it was very hard at first. I mean, the wind, I won’t say it’s fixed, but it was blowing pretty good early.”

Griffin had a 69 at the Quinta. He is making his first start of the year after injuring his back while carrying his dog and withdrawing from the Sony Open in Hawaii last week.

“I’m feeling a lot better than I thought, and I’m playing a lot better than I thought,” Griffin said. “So it’s been a really funny week.”

Higgs shot a 67 on the layout of the stadium in the first group of the first shot.

Cantlay, one shot ahead on the day, had an even-par 72 on the stadium course to go four shots clear.

The former UCLA player tried to win for the third time in four starts, with four Birdies and four bogeys. Last year in the desert, he closed with a stadium-record 61 to finish one shot behind winner si woo Kim.

Top-ranked Jon Rahm shot a 67 on the stadium course to get to 13 under. The winner finished with a 30-foot birdie on the Par-4 18th.

Defending champion Kim was 11 under after a 69 on the stadium course.

Tournament Host Phil Mickelson, tied for 150th. in 156-Man-Striking Range 78-73-72 and not in the last Round, advance.