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DUBLIN, Ohio -- It took only five holes for Jason Dufner to lose his five-stroke lead. After turning Muirfield Village Golf Club into a pitch-and-putt course for the first 36 holes of the Memorial Tournament, Dufner derailed on Saturday, shooting a 5-over 77 and falling into a tie for third.
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Daniel Summerhays, winless on the PGA Tour, saw a cavernous opening and seized momentum with a dazzling 68 to take a three-stroke lead over Matt Kuchar.
Summerhays, who has never won on the PGA Tour, is at 13-under 203 and holds a 54-hole lead for the fourth time.
"There will probably be some new feelings tomorrow," Summerhays said. "There will definitely be nerves. I'll probably hit a few putts with the hands shaking. But it's nothing that I haven't experienced before."
Kuchar birdied four holes on the back nine in a 67 while Dufner is four back in a tie for third with Bubba Watson (68) and Justin Thomas, a three-time winner this season who shot 67.
Rickie Fowler posted a 72 and is another stroke behind in a tie for sixth with Jamie Lovemark, who had a 70.
Kevin Kisner, who won the Dean & DeLuca Invitational last week, carded a 70 and is six down in a tie for eighth with Jordan Spieth (71) and Kevin Streelman, who had four birdies down the stretch in a 67.
Dufner had a ghastly four-hole bogey stretch from Nos. 2 through 5 that featured a missed tap-in for par on the par-5 fifth. After recording one bogey in the first two rounds, Dufner had six on Saturday, including one double-bogey.
"Today was pretty pathetic on all accounts," Dufner said. "I have to play better tomorrow."
Summerhays' professional career quite literally had its beginnings in nearby Columbus.
In 2007, the then-BYU junior won the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational nearby at Ohio State's Scarlet Course as an amateur. Summerhays turned professional soon thereafter and has more than $8 million in career earnings.
Summerhays nearly won the Nationwide event again in 2009, and he finished tied for fourth in the 2012 Memorial. At 33, Summerhays still holds central Ohio in high regard.
"It obviously does something to me," the Utah native said. "I can't put my finger on it, but I've had a good run here in Columbus. It reminds me somewhat of the conditions at home with the grass and the weather, the trees, everything."
Watson made a charge, surging up the leaderboard with a back-nine 30 after shooting 2-over 38 on the front. He had five birdies, an eagle and a bogey on the back.
A 19-foot birdie on No. 18 provided an exclamation point, coming moments after Watson had a heckler removed from the course. He took his hat off and bowed in the direction of the unruly fan after draining the putt.
"Obviously he's not a Bubba Watson fan," Watson said to laughter. "It started about 50 yards short of the green. I'm taking a guess that he wasn't drinking water like I was all day."
James Hahn was moving day's biggest mover, relocating his position on the leaderboard to a tie for 14th at 211 after starting Saturday tied for 60th.
Hahn's round of 65 included 10 birdies and two streaks of five consecutive birdies. It could have been lower had he not closed with bogeys at Nos. 16 and 17.
"To do it (five straight birdies) on a course like this is a little surreal," Hahn said.
Muirfield Village member Jason Day carded five birdies and an eagle en route to a 67. After flirting with the cut line Friday, Day enters the final round tied for 27th, 10 strokes behind Summerhays.
"Obviously I've got a lot of work ahead of me," Day said. "But I was a lot better today, which was nice. Hit a lot of better quality shots."
NOTES: Phil Mickelson announced that he intends to withdraw from the U.S. Open in two weeks due to his daughter's high school graduation. Mickelson said he will not play, barring an unforeseen turn of events. The U.S. Open is the only major he hasn't won. ... Jim Herman (67) had the only bogey-free round on Saturday. He's tied for 14th. ... Curtis Luck, the reigning U.S. Amateur champion, was first off the tee at 7:40 a.m. He shot 75 in 2 hours, 52 minutes, finishing five holes ahead of the nearest group, and is tied for 71st.
