Oberholser moves ahead

American Arron Oberholser was given a huge early boost when the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am began today.

Joint overnight leader with Mike Weir, the 31-year-old California – yet to win on the US Tour and with memories of closing with a 76 when in the same position in the same event two years ago – birdied the long second while Weir ran up a double-bogey seven.

At 18 under par Oberholser suddenly led by three from the Canadian, while Luke Donald’s birdie-bogey start meant he was joined in third place on 11 under by South African Tim Clark and American Jonathan Byrd.

Londoner Brian Davis, in a tie for fourth starting the day, did a reverse of Donald’s first two scores, a bogey being followed by a birdie. After pars at the third and fourth he had slipped into a tie for seventh on 10 under.

Ireland’s Paul McGinley was one under for the day and seven under overall with eight holes remaining.

That put him in joint 16th position and in a group which included defending champion Phil Mickelson.