Humana leader is stuck on 63

LA QUINTA, Calif. — Patrick Reed has been as good as the weather and course conditions at the Humana Challenge — and just as predictable. Another sunny, calm day. Another 9-under 63.

Reed broke the PGA Tour record for relation to par for the first 54 holes, finishing at 27 under Saturday to take a seven-stroke lead into the final round.

Playing over a pond as still as the plastic swans PGA West uses to scare away geese, Reed birdied his final hole on the Nicklaus Private Course, hitting a wedge to 2 feet on the par-4 ninth. He also had an eagle, eight birdies and a bogey.

“Anytime you set a record on the PGA Tour it means you’re doing something right,” Reed said. “Well, a lot of things right.”

Charley Hoffman and Brendon Todd were tied for second.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Phil Mickelson surged up the leader board with a 9-under 63 to put himself in second place after the third round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in the United Arab Emirates. Rory McIlroy was hit with a two-shot penalty for a rules infraction that dropped him into a tie for fourth.

CHAMPIONS: In KaupulehuKona, Hawaii, Bernhard Langer and Fred Couples broke away with birdies on the 17th to top the leaderboard going into today’s final round of the Mitsubishi Electric Championship. Both are at 14 under par.