2022 AT&T Byron Nelson leaderboard: Jordan Spieth's 64 in Round 3 puts him one behind leader Sebastian Munoz

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McKINNEY, Texas (AP) -- Sebastian Munoz will be the "other" local guy in the final pairing of the final round of the Byron Nelson.

It's cool by the Colombian who now calls the Dallas area home and has at least shared the lead after all three rounds.

Munoz shot a 6-under 66 on Saturday and was 21 under, a stroke ahead of hometown favorite Jordan Spieth, who is still seeking a breakthrough at the event in which he contended in the final round as a 16-year-old high schooler in 2010. Spieth shot a 64.

Joaquin Niemann will be the third player in the final group Sunday, alone in third another shot back after a 65. James Hahn almost matched Munoz's opening-round 60 at TPC Craig Ranch, shooting 61 to jump 34 spots to a tie for fourth with Justin Thomas (64).

Spieth is a year younger than Munoz at 28 but has three majors among 13 career victories after starring at the University of Texas. Munoz, who played in college nearby at North Texas, is 2 1/2 years removed from his lone PGA Tour win.

"Besides winning in Bogota, Colombia, I've never been the favorite of any other place," Munoz said. "So it's a familiar spot. Jordan is, of course, the golden boy here, so everyone's favorite. I'm good friends with him, so it's going to be a lot of fun tomorrow."

Spieth never went more than two holes without a birdie before a bogey at 15. He's had lower rounds and been close to victory before in a tournament he wants to win badly after such a remarkable PGA Tour debut as an amateur 12 years ago.

Besides, he and others among the top 30 in the world playing this week are getting ready for the PGA Championship next week at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

"So having a chance to win this event, this will be kind of the best chance I've maybe ever had going into Sunday," Spieth said. "Done a good job not putting too much pressure on myself, I just wanted to get into contention and obviously see what needs to be sharpened for next week. But there's no better prep for a major than winning the week before."

Speith was ninth last season in the first year at TPC Craig Ranch, his best Nelson finish.

Munoz made a 39-foot birdie putt on the par-4 second hole and sank a long bunker shot on the short par-4 sixth.

Playing with another Texan in Ryan Palmer, Munoz ran into trouble along with Palmer on the par-4 16th.

After Palmer sprayed his approach way right into the stands, Munoz went left playing a shot from a bunker with the ball in the rough above his feet. He swiped the ground with his club after leaving a chip 30 feet away and ended up with his only bogey.

Palmer, two shots back at the time after a stretch of five consecutive birdies, had to drop in some deep rough, needed two shots to get out and three-putted for double-bogey.

A West Texas native and Dallas-area resident seeking his first individual victory since 2010, Palmer shot 70 and was 17 under with defending champion K.H. Lee (67) and 2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel (68).

Spieth briefly pulled even with Munoz at 18 under with five birdies in six holes before the Colombian hit his approaches on 9 and 10 within 5 feet for birdies that put him back in front to stay.

Hahn missed the cut the past two times he played the Nelson after finishing third in 2017, the last year at the TPC Four Seasons in another Dallas suburb, Irving.

The move to McKinney, about 30 miles north of downtown, came after the Nelson was played twice at Trinity Forest in southern Dallas, then canceled during the pandemic before another relocation.

Rick Gehman and Greg DuCharme breakdown Saturday's third round action from TPC Craig Ranch. Follow & listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

A two-time PGA Tour winner, Hahn birdied five of the last six holes on the front nine and started a 5-under stretch over four holes by hitting his second shot to 7 feet on the par-5 12th.

"I feel like it just played easy out there for me, but everyone's shooting, 9-, 10-under, someone is every day," said Hahn, who has missed 10 cuts this season. "So I just felt like, `Why not me?'"

Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, who overcame a triple-bogey early in the second round for an outside shot to make a Sunday run, recorded birdies in bunches in a 65 that left him at 16 under.

The top-ranked player and Dallas resident birdied four of the last five holes on the front and three in a row on the back, but his bogey-free round ended with a disappointing par on the reachable par-5 18th.

"I haven't really seen the ball go in very much, which is frustrating because you got to make putts out here to shoot low scores," Scheffler said. "I fought my way kind of back into the tournament, but I need a hot putter tomorrow if I want to make some noise."

Davis Riley shot 64 and was tied with Scheffler and Beau Hossler (67).

A pair of older tour rookies faded from contention with 2-over 74s. David Skinns, a 40-year-old from England started the day tied for the lead with Munoz and Palmer, and 33-year-old American Justin Lower, who was just a shot back.

Copyright 2022 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Tomorrow should be a good one in Dallas

Playing the final four holes in 1 over, Sebastian Muñoz ended Saturday at 21 under. He holds a one-stroke lead over Jordan Spieth, two over Joaquin Niemann, and three over Justin Thomas. Those four could feature in a Presidents Cup matchup at Quail Hollow later this year, but they will first settle the score at TPC Craig Ranch. The home crowd will inevitably side with Spieth but I think it will be his housemate, Thomas, who steals the AT&T Byron Nelson.

 
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Muñoz's dropped shot invites big names back into picture

We had mentioned it and after a bogey on the par-4 16th, the Colombian has dropped to 21 under. As of now, that puts five players within three-strokes of the lead including names like Jordan Spieth (-20), Joaquin Niemann (-19) who is in the 18th fairway and Justin Thomas (-18).

 
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These next four holes may tell the tale of the tournament

Sebastian Muñoz has stretched his lead to two as he stands at 22 under. This upcoming stretch could lead to a comfortable margin heading into the final round or a compact leaderboard. If he gets to 24 under, only four players have a realistic chance to catch him. However, if he remains at 22 under, a boat load of players are brought back into this thing.

 
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Palmer catching fire

Make it five in a row for Ryan Palmer who has now reached 20 under after his birdie on the par-4 13th. Playing his first eight holes in even-par, the Dallas area resident has battled back into this tournament. Paired with Muñoz he is now only one-stroke off the lead as the final group approaches the reachable par-4 14th. 

 
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The leaderboard is beginning to thin out

This will be dependent on just how deep Muñoz takes things as he stands at 21 under but it looks like there are only nine players with a real chance to win as of now. If a player gets to 18 under by the end of the day, he has to believe he is close enough given the set up of TPC Craig Ranch.

 
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Back-nine fireworks are popping off

23 under may have been a low-ball offer on my end. Muñoz has tacked on another birdie while Spieth and Thomas both have upcoming eagle looks. Oh, and as if this tournament could not get anymore exciting, Scottie Scheffler has officially entered the chat. The world No. 1 has rattled off three straight birdies to get within four-strokes of the lead at 16 under.

 
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Spieth briefly touches lead before Muñoz retakes it

A birdie on the par-4 10th pushed Jordan Spieth into a share of the lead with Sebastian Muñoz. The Colombian swiftly made birdie on the par-5 ninth to repossess the solo lead. It is likely the 54-hole lead reaches somewhere close to 23 under as Muñoz heads to the back-nine at 19 under.

 
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