Rookie Alex Prugh stayed near the lead with a long par putt at the 10th on Saturday:

While Zack Bixler is off preparing for a trip to q-school (as a player) who employer, Alex Prugh, is enjoying a strong run in the Fall Series.

Prugh nearly felled Rocco Mediate last week at the Frys.com Open, and the Las Vegas resident is threatening to win right in his adopted hometown of Las Vegas. Prugh's new caddie, Eric Hastings, was on the bag last week and is back with Prugh this week. The pair are currently tied for the lead after Prugh birdied three of his first four holes Saturday.

Prugh, a rookie, has enjoyed most of his success this year west of the Rockies. He had three top-10s during the West Coast Swing to start the year but didn't have another top-10 until last week at CordeValle.

In the second round of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, Alex Prugh holes a lengthy putt at the par-4 15th hole for an eagle two:

In year filled with record performances in the scoring department, it appeared for a little while that rookie Alex Prugh would have a shot at becoming the first player on TOUR to fire a 58.

For a little while on Friday, anyway. His early 64 still gave him the early lead.

Prugh, who secured his 2011 PGA TOUR card with a tie for second in the Frys.com Open last week, started off innocently enough on Friday. After birdieing his first three holes at TPC Summerlin, he parred the easy par-5 13th. But it didn't exactly kill his momentum.

Prugh stuck his tee shot to 27 feet on the par-3 14th and made the putt, then went for the green on the drivable par-4 15th. His tee shot finished 41 feet away ... and he made that putt too. He then hit the par-5 16th hole in two and two-putted for birdie, putting at 7 under after 7 holes.

He cooled off from there. He parred his next six holes before birdieing the par-3 fifth, but he gave that shot back with a bogey on the next hole.

Today’s round is turning into one in which pars are a very good thing -- at least for Alex Prugh.

Prugh is even through his first 11 holes, but that’s been good enough to now move him to within one of Rocco Mediate, who is leaking oil at 4 over through 11 holes.

The cold-ish and rainy weather isn’t helping Mediate’s back, and hitting just four of eight fairways and four off 11 greens aren’t either. When you miss that green, your putting numbers are usually good, but Mediate has struggled with the flat stick too, taking 18 putts through 11 holes and a 2.250 average on putts per green in regulation.

No wonder he hasn’t made a birdie today. Now it’s just a matter of trying to hang on for Mediate.

A bogey on the par-5 12th hole may have just ended Kevin Stadler’s chances to win. Stadler missed the fairway left on the 596-yard hole and never was able to recover. It also brought to an end a stretch of 29 holes without a bogey for Stadler – his last came on the par-5 ninth on Friday.

The bogey also dropped Stadler three back of Rocco Mediate. Alex Prugh, meanwhile, has now moved into second. He’s two back and even on his round through 10 holes in what are less-than-ideal conditions with rain soaking the golf course. Just ask Bo Van Pelt. He’s 3 over through 10 holes and has dropped back into a four-way tie for third place.

Rocco Mediate will head into the final round with a shot at becoming a wire-to-wire winner at the Frys.com Open. Mediate jump started his round Saturday with a hole out on No. 15 for eagle to maintain his distance from the rest of the field. He's 17 under for the week. Trailing him is Bo Van Pelt, who carded a 65 Saturday, to get to 14 under for the tournament. Rookie Alex Prugh sits at 12 under after a five-hole birdie streak on the back nine, along with Ryuji Imada. And Rickie Fowler got to 11 under after a third-round 68. For complete third-round results visit our leaderboard.

Alex Prugh made the turn to the back nine and put his foot on the gas pedal. The rookie made five birdies in a row to get to 11 under for the tournament. It started on No. 10. Despite finding a greenside bunker off the tee, Prugh hit his second shot to 5 feet and went on to birdie.On 11, he drained a 15 foot birdie putt. His tee shot on 12 found the rough, but he made it to the green in three and one-putted for a birdie on the par-5. On 13, his drive went way right, but a clutch approach shot to nine feet let him get his fourth birdie. And his fifth birdie came after leaving himself a seven putt on the 14th green. Track the rest of his progress on the back nine with Shot Tracker.

Moving day is about more than just a player's standing on the Frys.com leaderboard this week. Several players are battling for a secure position within the top 125 on the money list to retain their PGA TOUR cards for next year. Here are a few bubble players to keep an eye on today. Ryuji Imada -- Imada has struggled with a rib injury this year and hasn't finished in the top 10 since a T7 back in March at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He currently sits at 110th on the money list, but after shooting 65-67 in the first rounds, is projected to move up to a safe 64th.  Rocco Mediate -- If Mediate can hang on for the win, he stands to make a huge jump on the money list. He started the week ranked 182nd. The projected money list currently shows him moving 110 spots up to 72nd. David Duval --The former No. 1 golfer started the week at 109th. After a bogey-free 65 on Friday, Duval's move up the leaderboard into contention could also move him up the money list to inside the top 100. Dean Wilson -- Wilson sits near the bubble at 122nd on the money list. He came close to winning the RBC Canadian earlier this year, but had to settle for runner-up. With two more low rounds this weekend he could finally get the W, and lock up his card for 2011. Alex Prugh -- The rookie who made it to the Deutsche Bank Championship during the FedExCup Playoffs, kicked off the week at 104th, and is projected to crack the top 100 if he continues his current under-par play. You can track the money list live and see where players are projected to stand after the Frys.com Open on the Projected money list.

Here's a weird stat for you: PGA TOUR rookie Alex Prugh has three top-10s this year -- and all of them came in the Golden State. All three of of them came during the West Coast Swing stretch earlier this year when the TOUR played three events in California (Bob Hope Classic, Farmers Insurance Open, Northern Trust Open) in three weeks.

Fast forward to October. Prugh, a Nationwide Tour graduate, hasn't threatened the top-10 since that run. His best finish since May? A tie for 33rd in the Turning Stone Resort Championship.

But the TOUR's return to the West Coast has revitalized his game, and not a moment too soon. After his run of top-10s, Prugh all but had his card secured for 2011. Since then, he's fell to 104th on the money list. His total of $816,266 appears safe, but it's hardly a lock.

It might be a lock now. Prugh fired a 66 on Friday that got him to 7 under, six shots back of Rocco Mediate, and into position for a late tee time on Saturday. Prugh's Round 3 scoring average has been 69.86 this year, remarkably low for a rookie.