2022 Memorial Tournament leaderboard: Billy Horschel surges to five-shot lead with 65 in Round 3

Horschel is 13 under and leads Aaron Wise by five shots after 54 holes at Muirfield Village

In a blink of an eye, Billy Horschel shot himself to the top of the leaderboard Saturday at the 2022 Memorial Tournament. Continuing to keep his foot on the gas from there, the Florida product will now enter the final round at Muirfield Village with a five-stroke lead.

Beginning the day two strokes off Cameron Smith's 36-hole lead, Horschel started with a flurry, chipping in on the first hole and never looking back. Tacking on six additional birdies, Horschel's third round of 7-under 65 marks the lowest of anyone this week.

While his birdie-making prowess was prevalent on Saturday, throughout the first 54 holes, it has been his bogey-avoiding ability which has caught my attention. He has only committed one blunder thus far – a 3-putt from 20-feet on the par-4 No. 1 hole in Round 1 – and has been mistake-free for his last 44 holes during which he has played the golf course in 11 under.

Horschel arrived at the Memorial Tournament fresh off a missed cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge, the first instance of him missing the weekend in 2022. Disappointed with himself, his course management and his overall process, Horschel has quickly righted last week's wrong and is primed to enter the winner's circle for the first time since last year's BMW PGA Championship on the DP World Tour. 

"Very pleased with the work Fooch [caddie Mark Fulcher] and I have done," Horschel said. "Not only today but over the last three days. I think just going through our process, making sure we have a number where we're trying to land the ball, talking about the shot, the club selection, the wind. When we do that, it allows me to have a clearer picture and have a little bit more of a higher acceptance level over the golf shot."

Rick Gehman and Jonathan Coachman recap Saturday's action at the 2022 Memorial Tournament. Follow & listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The leader

1. Billy Horschel (-13): The 35-year-old has been close to adding a seventh PGA Tour title to his résumé this season having finished runner-up at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Zurich Classic. Coming up just short in both instances, he is now in full command of the Memorial Tournament thanks to a near flawless 54 holes.

This is the second 54-hole lead of his career and his first since the 2014 BMW Championship. Outside of Cameron Smith, I am not sure there is too much concern regarding those behind him and if he simply takes care of his own business, Horschel should be the one shaking Jack Nicklaus' hand Sunday.

"I just go to the tee understanding I'm leading the tournament, I know I've got however many shots I have ahead of the lead," Horschel said in regards to how he will play with a five-stroke margin. "Just going out, trying to play a really good round of golf. I'm not going to be protective, I'm not going to be overly aggressive. I'm going to play the way I have the last three days."

Other contenders

T2. Aaron Wise and Cameron Smith (-8)

T4. Daniel Berger, Francesco Molinari and Jhonattan Vegas (-7)

T7. Patrick Cantlay, Joaquin Niemann, Davis Riley and Denny McCarthy (-6)

Sevens have been wild the last two Sundays on the PGA Tour with Justin Thomas' victory at the PGA Championship and Sam Burns' at the Charles Schwab Challenge. While it is unlikely for this trend to continue, it is extremely encouraging to see a player like Molinari in the top five after a bout with injuries and swing changes.

"It's been harder than I ever thought it would be, between injuries and just other things that kind of got in the way," Molinari said. "I lost my way for a while. I feel like this year there's definitely been some improvement in the game, maybe not yet in the results and in the scores, but even just the last few weeks...I think that there were some signs that things were improving."

Rory gets stuck in neutral

Saturdays may be the new Thursdays for McIlroy as this marks the second consecutive third round in which he has fallen flat. Signing for a 1-over 73, the Northern Irishman who began the day only three strokes off the lead now finds himself nine behind Horschel. 

"it's getting a little bit tricky," McIlroy said. "You've got to land it on your spots with your iron shots and you've got to put it in the fairway to get chances to get it close. Greens are getting fast, so having to play a little more break. It's hard to keep the ball below the hole, so you're -- there's a lot of putts out there that are a little bit defensive."

Perhaps that is why McIlroy's performance Saturday was so surprising as he was striking his irons beautifully and has long been known as one of the best drivers in the world. Losing more than a stroke on approach and two more with the putter in hand, McIlroy is left with yet another chance to enter the top five through the backdoor.

The U.S. Presidents Cup Team may slowly be taking shape

For a second, let us project Horschel as this week's winner which would propel him to No. 8 in the U.S. Team standings for the Presidents Cup. With the current top six likely locked in whether through automatic qualifying or not, that leaves captain Davis Love III with six selections between: Max Homa, Xander Schauffele, Horschel, Will Zalatoris, Tony Finau, Cameron Young, Daniel Berger, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau.

Horschel has never represented the United States as a professional and desperately wanted to be a member of the Ryder Cup Team at Whistling Straits. A winner at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play last year, one has to imagine he will get the nod for Quail Hollow if his form persists. While there are certainly question marks on the list above, it is a great problem for the United States side as they will be tasked with dismantling one of the strongest International Teams to date.

Updated odds and picks

Here's a look at the updated odds with one round remaining, via Caesars Sportsbook.

• Billy Horschel: 4/7
• Cameron Smith: 13/2
• Aaron Wise: 12-1
• Daniel Berger: 22-1
• Patrick Cantlay: 25-1
• Francesco Molinari: 30-1
• Joaquin Niemann: 35-1
• Jhonattan Vegas: 35-1
• Davis Riley: 40-1

Sometimes it is more than fine to sit out the final round, but if there is a play to be made, it is laying the juice with Horschel. For reference, Scheffler was priced the exact same last week at Colonial when he went into the final round with a two-stroke lead. I am not comparing the world No. 1 with Horschel, but I am saying there is still value in this price if you are willing to stomach it.

[Jun 4, 2022 at 5:04 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

The lead is now five for Billy Horschel

A couple of simple pars are just what the doctor ordered for Horschel as his lead has now grown to five strokes over Aaron Wise who is in the clubhouse and Cameron Smith who is struggling on the par-4 15th. Horschel's playing partner Luke List was the closest to the lead before a triple bogey on the par-4 17th dropped him to 6 under for the tournament.

[Jun 4, 2022 at 4:36 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Horschel's lead grows to four

With a birdie on the par-5 15th, Billy Horschel's lead has grown to four strokes over his playing competitor, Luke List. Now 7 under on the day and 13 under for the tournament, he has quickly separated himself from the field.

[Jun 4, 2022 at 4:15 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Rookies treading water...still in with a chance

Cameron Young and Davis Riley are just hanging around right now, not doing a whole lot. Still within arm's reach of the lead, their back nines may tell the tales of their Memorial debuts. If they can grab a few birdies coming in, they will give themselves a chance for their first win on the PGA Tour tomorrow.

[Jun 4, 2022 at 3:45 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

It appears to be another disappointing Saturday for Rory McIlroy

Experiencing one at the PGA Championship, McIlroy is in the midst of a poor third round this week at the Memorial. One of a few players to hovering around even par on the day, the four-time major championship winner is being lapped by the field. Beginning the day three strokes off the lead, he has since drifted down the leaderboard.

[Jun 4, 2022 at 3:15 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Here comes Joaquin Niemann...

The young Chilean is enjoying a fantastic season, consistently contending on some of golf's biggest stages. After a long distance birdie on the par-3 12th, he has catapulted himself to 5 under for the day and 9 under for the tournament, only one stroke behind Billy Horschel.