Seamus Power fired a seven-under-par 65 and trails leader Austin Cook by just four shots as he bids for his maiden PGA Tour win in the Career Builder Challenge in Palm Springs.

Tied for 36th at halfway, the West Waterford man (30) shares ninth place on 15-under par after a stunning third round at PGA West's Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.

As his former Web.com Tour colleague Cook shot an eight-under-par 64 at La Quinta Country Club to lead by a stroke on 19-under from Andrew Landry and Martin Piller, Power had his best third round since last July.

Scores

Out in three under 33 after birdies at the second, fourth and seventh, he made five more in six holes on the back nine by following a brace at the 11th and 12th with three in a row from the 14th.

His only bogey came at the par-three 17th but he is in with a shout of the Stadium Course on Sunday after taking his tally of single putts for the week to 31 thanks to a 27-putt round.

World No 3 Jon Rahm is just two shots off the lead, tied for fourth on 17-under with Scott Piercy after a 70 on the Stadium Course but tournament ambassador Phil Mickelson shot 74 on the Stadium Course missed the eight-under-par cut by four.

"It's only two shots," Rahm said after an up and down round that saw him make three bogeys and a birdie in his last five holes.

"I mean out here going ahead of the leaders you make a couple birdies early you can make it up really quickly. The first few holes can be a little tricky, I mean I struggled in the first four and they're not the hardest ones on the course.

"So it all depends on the weather conditions, the course is firming up, I know if we have similar wind to today, if we shoot something under par you'll be way up there contesting it over the last few holes.

"So I'm not going to have a 10-under, but hopefully I can keep charging on the back nine."

If Power were to win, he would earn $1,062,000 and an invitation for the Masters.