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Phil Mickelson shot a 68 on Saturday. USATSI

Only three golfers this century have won the week before also winning a major championship. Rory McIlroy did it the week before the 2014 PGA Championship. Tiger Woods did it the week before the 2007 PGA Championship. And Phil Mickelson did it before the 2006 Masters.

That stat might bode well for Mickelson over the next eight days.

Mickelson of course will look for his first ever U.S. Open victory next week at Oakmont. But first, he'll take a shot at winning the FedEx St. Jude Classic on Sunday. Mickelson is 7 under after 54 holes and trails leader Daniel Berger by three strokes with nobody between the two after shooting a 68 in the third round on Saturday.

Lefty didn't finish his round the way he wanted with a bogey and lengthy par save at the last, but he still has a clear shot at his first win since the 2013 British Open.

His last hole was a microcosm for his week. A poor approach shot was followed by a ridiculously long par putt from off the green to save what was a pretty decent round given the conditions of the course and the way other players were scoring. That's been pretty much the entire narrative for Lefty in Memphis.

"I need to strike it like I did last week," said Mickelson on Saturday. "It's very close. Rhythm has been a little bit quick. The transition has been quick. I've managed it so far and I've been putting really well. Giving myself a few six to 10-footers I should be able to capitalize on those the way I've been putting."

Mickelson is putting outrageously well this week. He's gained nine strokes on the field with the flat stick which is far and away first in the field. But he knows he needs to hit the ball better than he currently is to overtake the steady Berger.

" ... I know it's about to click," he added. "I feel like last week I found the ball-striking the way I wanted it. Hopefully I'll find it for tomorrow's round because it's only going to take a few more fairways hit and a few more birdie opportunities the way I'm putting to try to get this done."

Though Mickelson is tied for second going into the final round, he won't be in the final group with the leader Berger (who is 10 under) based on the way everyone finished. He claims this somehow works to his advantage over the final 18 holes.

"I like the fact I'm going to be a group or two in front of the leaders," said Mickelson. "I think that's always an advantageous spot if you can get off to a good day. It's much more difficult to follow birdies than it is to lead by them."

It's wild to think that the last time Mickelson entered the winner's circle was at Muirfield in 2013, but here we are. And his terrific play couldn't come at a better time in the season with the U.S. Open looming.

Mickelson looks ready for another swipe at his nation's championship with the way he's rolling it this week. Mickelson, who called Oakmont "the hardest course we've played" earlier in the week, said Memphis has been a terrific warmup for him.

"My critical putts from 10 feet and in are really the putts that you need to make to keep rounds going, to get up into contention," said Mickelson. "Those are the ones that can go either way, and I've made a lot of them this year. So, that gives me a lot of confidence heading into the treacherous greens at Oakmont."

One caveat to that stat I mentioned earlier about how Mickelson is one of three players this century to win the week before winning a major? It's happened eight other times in golf history. Never at a U.S. Open.